Paul Rusesabagina (born 1954) is a Rwandan former hotelier and political activist who gained international fame after the release of the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, which depicted his efforts to shelter and save over 1,200 people during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. After leaving Rwanda, he became a prominent critic of the government of President Paul Kagame, a path that led to his controversial arrest, conviction on terrorism charges, and subsequent release.
Key Biographical Information
| Detail | Information |
| Born | June 15, 1954, Murama, Rwanda |
| Ethnicity | Hutu (Father) and Tutsi (Mother) |
| Key Role | Manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines during the 1994 Genocide |
| Awards | U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005) |
| Political Party | MRCD (Movement for Democratic Change) (President) |
| Criminal Status | Convicted of terrorism (2021); Sentence commuted by presidential order (March 2023) |
| Current Status | Released from prison; residing in the United States |
The Genocide and International Recognition
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Hotel Manager: Rusesabagina served as the Assistant General Manager (and later acting General Manager) of the luxury Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali. He was an ethnic Hutu married to a Tutsi, Tatiana.
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Saving Lives: During the 100 days of the Genocide in 1994, he leveraged his position, contacts with Rwandan military officials, and resources (including bribery with cash, alcohol, and cigars) to negotiate the safety of over 1,200 people—primarily Tutsi and moderate Hutu—who had taken refuge inside the hotel. No refugees sheltered there were killed.
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Hollywood Film: His story was immortalized in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, starring Don Cheadle, which brought him worldwide recognition and numerous awards, including the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Opposition, Kidnapping, and Trial
After fleeing Rwanda in 1996, Rusesabagina became an outspoken critic of the RPF government and President Paul Kagame, accusing the regime of authoritarianism and human rights abuses.
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Opposition Activism: He settled in Belgium (where he holds citizenship) and later the U.S. (where he is a permanent resident). He became the president of the Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), a coalition of opposition groups that includes an armed wing, the National Liberation Front (FLN).
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Kidnapping (2020): In August 2020, Rusesabagina was lured onto a plane he believed was heading to Burundi for a speaking engagement, only to find himself forcibly delivered to Kigali, Rwanda, in what his family and supporters describe as a state-sponsored abduction or “rendition.”
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Conviction: In September 2021, he was convicted on multiple terrorism-related charges for his links to the FLN, which had claimed responsibility for attacks in southern Rwanda in 2018 and 2019 that killed at least nine civilians. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. His trial was widely criticized by international bodies (including the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention) and the U.S. State Department as being unfair and politically motivated.
Release and Current Status
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Commutation: In March 2023, after intense diplomatic pressure from the United States and other international partners, President Paul Kagame commuted Rusesabagina’s sentence after he wrote a letter requesting clemency and pledging to abstain from politics.
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Return to the U.S.: He was released after serving two and a half years and immediately traveled to the United States, where he remains with his family. His release, while celebrated by his supporters, was viewed by some analysts as a successful foreign policy move by Rwanda to alleviate international pressure.
Rusesabagina’s story is one of dual narratives: celebrated global hero versus convicted domestic terrorist, a dichotomy that reflects the deep political fault lines in post-genocide Rwanda.