Released in 2023 after Qatar mediation, now 71, living in San Antonio — remains one of Rwanda’s most controversial figures
KIGALI/SAN ANTONIO — Paul Rusesabagina, the man whose heroism during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi inspired the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda, is today living quietly in San Antonio, Texas, three years after his high-profile release from Rwandan prison.
Now 71 years old, Rusesabagina was released in March 2023 after spending 27 months behind bars.
Release and Exile
Rusesabagina, former manager of Hôtel des Mille Collines who sheltered more than 1,200 people in 1994, was arrested in August 2020 in what his family described as an enforced disappearance. He believed he was flying to Burundi for a speaking engagement, but the plane landed in Kigali where he was detained by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).
In September 2021, he was convicted on terrorism charges linked to the MRCD-FLN armed group and sentenced to 25 years. The trial was condemned by the US, EU and human rights groups as politically motivated, with Washington designating him as “wrongfully detained.”
His release came after intense diplomatic mediation led by Qatar, involving the US and Rwanda. The Rwandan government commuted his sentence by Presidential Order, but stressed that the commutation does not extinguish the conviction — if he repeats similar offences, the sentence could be reinstated.
He was first flown to Doha, Qatar, before arriving in the US where he was welcomed by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and President Joe Biden, who called it a “happy outcome.”
Controversy
In Rwanda, Rusesabagina remains a divisive figure. The government accuses him of supporting armed groups responsible for attacks in southern Rwanda in 2018-2019 that killed nine civilians, and of genocide denial — accusations his family and lawyers strongly deny.
Supporters view him as a dissident targeted for his outspoken criticism of President Paul Kagame’s government. Kigali maintains the legal process was justified and transparent.
Current Life — 2026
As of 2026, Rusesabagina lives with his family away from the public eye in San Antonio. He holds Belgian citizenship and US permanent residency.
Sources close to him say he remains active in diaspora advocacy, speaking occasionally via remote video calls to rights groups and universities about political prisoners, freedom of speech and reconciliation.
Neighbors describe him as private and reflective, focused on memoir work and advocacy, though he has largely withdrawn from active politics.
Human rights organizations welcomed his 2023 release but continue to call for a full pardon and transparent judicial reform.
For East African Report, his story reflects the broader tensions between dissent, justice and foreign intervention in Rwanda’s internal affairs.
BY: East African Report News Desk
DATE: Saturday, October 31, 2026 | East Africa Edition | Issue No. 128856
