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AP
PAUL Rusesabagina sounded tense. The man who inspired the movie “Hotel Rwanda” to save people from genocide, but is now accused of terrorism in Rwanda, was speaking to his family for the first time since he was shown in handcuffs on August 31. But something was wrong.
With the Rwandan authorities listening, it was clear that Rusesabagina could not speak openly in the phone call, said Brian Endless, part of the international team trying to defend him.
It remains a mystery how Rusesabagina disappeared from a trip to Dubai late last month and turned up in custody in a country her family says she would never voluntarily return to.
“Paul briefly mentioned boarding a plane on the call, but this was tense and cut off the discussion immediately afterward. We have no idea whether it was Paul speaking freely or under duress, “Endless told The Associated Press. In comments to the BBC, he said Rusesabagina mentioned that he woke up on the plane to find himself in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
Endless said Rwandan officials also attended a meeting between Belgian officials and Rusesabagina, a Belgian citizen and permanent resident of the United States.
The uncertainties surrounding his arrest have led Human Rights Watch to claim that Rusesabagina, 66, a longtime outspoken critic of the Rwandan government, was “forcibly disappeared.” In a statement issued late Thursday, the organization said the Rwandan authorities should urgently explain how he was detained and taken to the East African country.
“The fact that Rusesabagina did not pursue Rusesabagina through legal extradition proceedings suggests that the authorities do not believe that its evidence or fair trial guarantees would withstand scrutiny before an independent court, thus opting to circumvent the rule of law.” said the Central Africa group. director, Lewis Mudge, said.
Rusesabagina’s legal team, who have not been able to speak to him, believe he boarded a private jet operated by GainJet, which has been used by the Rwandan government and has an office in the capital, Kigali. The legal team points to publicly available flight records.
It’s unclear what the flight plan or passenger list says, and GainJet CEO Ramsey Shaban has not responded to a request for comment. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates, home to the city-state of Dubai, have not responded to questions.
Human Rights Watch stated that “Rusesabagina had been in the custody of the Rwandans or their representatives since the night of August 27, but the Rwandans did not acknowledge her detention until August 31.”
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, in a nationally televised interview on Sunday, indicated that Rusesabagina may have been tricked into boarding a plane to a country he has not lived in since 1996. “It was actually flawless!” Kagame said, suggesting that he “encouraged himself, even if he didn’t want to.”
Rusesabagina became famous for protecting more than 1,000 people as a hotel manager during the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. For her efforts she was awarded the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
But the Rwandan authorities accuse him of supporting the armed wing of his opposition political platform, which has claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks inside Rwanda. They point to a video posted online in 2018 in which he expresses his support for the National Liberation Front and says that “the time has come for us to use all possible means to bring about change in Rwanda, as all political means have been tried and failed. “
In the past, Rusesabagina has denied funding for rebel groups and said he was under attack for his criticism of the Kagame government and alleged rights abuses.
The Rwandan government has changed its version of Rusesabagina’s arrest and has not allowed him access to a lawyer of his choice or confidential consultations, Human Rights Watch said. For years, the group has documented cases by critics that the Rwandan government was assassinated abroad, detained in unclear circumstances, or killed behind bars.
“In Rwanda, the history of the last 20 years or more shows that, unfortunately, there are a wide variety of things that the Rwandan government can do beyond prison,” said Endless, a professor based in the United States. “We are very concerned that Paul could disappear at any moment or that he could suffer a health crisis manufactured by the Rwandan government.”
Rwanda’s government has long denied the alleged abuses, and its supporters point to the country’s widely praised development and stability since the genocide.
Rusesabagina has not appeared in court. Her file was turned over to prosecutors on Wednesday. Rwandan law states that a suspect can be in provisional detention for 15 days, renewable for up to 90 days.
Rwanda’s attorney general, Aimable Havugiyaremye, told the AP that Rusesabagina is still being questioned and a hearing date has not yet been announced.
Rusesabagina’s legal team has filed a complaint with the United Nations special rapporteur on torture, and the office is “moving forward with its procedures,” Endless said. The office told the AP it could not comment.
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