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A man whose heroism was depicted in the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda was arrested on terrorism charges, police said.
Paul Rusesabagina, 66, paraded handcuffed in front of the media in the Rwanda Bureau of Investigation in Kigali on Monday.
He faces several charges, including “terrorism, terrorist financing, kidnapping and murder by arson,” office spokesman Thierry Murangira said.
Rusesabagina received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W Bush in 2005
Rusesabagina was played by American actor Don Cheadle in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, which tells the story of how he protected Tutsis fleeing the massacre at the hotel he ran.
He moved abroad after the 1994 genocide and received international praise for his campaign, and is a well-known critic of President Paul Kagame.
Rusesabagina was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, from former U.S. President George W Bush in 2005.
But at home he sparked outrage when he warned of another genocide, this time of Tutsis against Hutus.
On Monday he put on a suit and a mask and refused to speak.
He had previously said that he had become the victim of a smear campaign.
The Rwanda Bureau of Investigation said on Twitter that Rusesabagina had been detained following an international arrest warrant.
The spokesman, Mr. Murangira, said on Monday: “Rusesabagina is suspected of being a founder, leader, sponsor or member of violent armed extremist terrorist groups … operating in various locations in the region and abroad.”
In 2010, Rwanda’s attorney general said authorities had evidence that Rusesabagina had financed terrorist groups, although no charges were filed.
American actor Don Cheadle played Paul Rusesabagina in the 2004 film
Since then, authorities have said that he participated in a series of alleged attacks by rebels from the National Liberation Front (FLN) in southern Rwanda along the border with Burundi in 2018.
He has not responded publicly to charges of supporting armed groups.
Around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 100 days during the 1994 genocide.
The killings ended when Tutsi rebels, led by now-President Paul Kagame, seized control and caused an exodus of more than two million Hutus.
