Rwanda: Activist Paul Rusesabagina Arrested, Flown to Kigali

Paul Rusesabagina, a Rwandan opposition figure living in Europe, has been arrested and detained by Rwandan authorities.

“RIB informs the general public that, through international cooperation, Paul Rusesabagina was arrested and is in the custody of RIB,” said Rwanda Investigation Bureau on a Monday morning.

RIB said Rusesabagina is “suspected to be the founder, leader, sponsor and member of violent, armed, extremist terror outfits including MRCD and PDR-Ihumure, operating out of various places in the region and abroad.”

The arrest will shock Rwanda’s opposition in diaspora.

It appears Rwanda quietly worked with foreign intelligence agencies to arrest Rusesabagina.

Rusesabagina was a humanitarian who, while working as a manager at the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, hid and protected 1,268 Hutu and Tutsi refugees from the Interahamwe militia during the Rwandan genocide.

None of these refugees were hurt or killed during the attacks. 

Rusesabagina was today paraded before the media in Kigali.

RIB said he has been subject of an International Arrest Warrant, “wanted to answer charges of serious crime including terrorism, arson, kidnap and murder, perpetrated against unarmed, innocent Rwandan civilians on Rwandan territory including in Nyabimata – Nyaruguru district in June 2018 and in Nyungwe – Nyamagabe district in December 2018.”

He is currently detained at Remera Police Station while his case file is being processed in accordance with Rwandan criminal procedure, according to RIB.