KIGALI, Rwanda — A Rwandan court on Monday charged Paul Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda,” with terrorism, complicity in murder, and forming an armed rebel group.
Rusesabagina declined to respond to all 13 charges, saying some did not qualify as criminal offenses and saying that he denied the accusations when he was questioned by Rwandan investigators.
Rusesabagina, 66, asked to be released on bail, citing poor health that has caused him to be taken to the hospital three times in the time that he has been held in Rwanda.
“I request that I am given bail and I assure the court that I will not flee from justice,” Rusesabagina said. The court said it will rule on his bail application on Thursday.
Rusesabagina, credited with saving more than 1,000 lives during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, appeared in handcuffs in Kagarama Court in the capital for a pre-trial hearing, in which the prosecution requested court permission to continue detaining him until investigations are completed.
Rusesabagina and his family have had a home in San Antonio since 2009.
Kathleen Tobin Krueger, the wife of former U.S. Sen. Bob Krueger, D-Texas, who served as ambassador to Burundi from 1994 to 1995 said she was particularly worried about reports that Rusesabagina has been taken to the hospital three times while in custody in Rwanda.
The Kruegers are longtime friends with Rusesabagina and his wife Taciana.
“Paul has always been an apparently healthy and vigorous man in my presence,” Krueger said. “He’s never needed to go to the hospital here in San Antonio.”
Krueger said a network of diplomats, government officials, international attorneys, celebrities…
KIGALI, Rwanda — A Rwandan court on Monday charged Paul Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda,” with terrorism, complicity in murder, and forming an armed rebel group.
Rusesabagina declined to respond to all 13 charges, saying some did not qualify as criminal offenses and saying that he denied the accusations when he was questioned by Rwandan investigators.
Rusesabagina, 66, asked to be released on bail, citing poor health that has caused him to be taken to the hospital three times in the time that he has been held in Rwanda.
“I request that I am given bail and I assure the court that I will not flee from justice,” Rusesabagina said. The court said it will rule on his bail application on Thursday.
Rusesabagina, credited with saving more than 1,000 lives during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, appeared in handcuffs in Kagarama Court in the capital for a pre-trial hearing, in which the prosecution requested court permission to continue detaining him until investigations are completed.
Rusesabagina and his family have had a home in San Antonio since 2009.
Kathleen Tobin Krueger, the wife of former U.S. Sen. Bob Krueger, D-Texas, who served as ambassador to Burundi from 1994 to 1995 said she was particularly worried about reports that Rusesabagina has been taken to the hospital three times while in custody in Rwanda.
The Kruegers are longtime friends with Rusesabagina and his wife Taciana.
“Paul has always been an apparently healthy and vigorous man in my presence,” Krueger said. “He’s never needed to go to the hospital here in San Antonio.”
Krueger said a network of diplomats, government officials, international attorneys, celebrities…
