(AP) Rwanda's President Paul Kagame said the man portrayed as a hero in the film “Hotel Rwanda” will stand trial for allegedly supporting rebel violence.
Kagame, appearing on national television Sunday, did not explain how Paul Rusesabagina was brought to Rwanda where he has been held in custody for more than a week.
Rusesabagina is credited with saving 1,200 lives during Rwanda's 1994 genocide by letting people shelter in the hotel he was managing during the mass killings.
Now he is accused of supporting rebel violence in Rwanda and his family and supporters complain that they have not been able to speak to him and that he has not had access to a lawyer.
Kagame said Rusesabagina’s trial will be held openly and conducted fairly.
He did not explain how Rusesabagina, who had lived outside Rwanda since 1996 and is a citizen of Belgium and has a U.S. permanent residence permit, turned up in Rwanda last week but suggested that he came of his own accord.
Kagame said others were Rusesabagina’s accomplices in alleged violent activities and have already been arrested and are facing trial in Kigali, Rwanda's capital.
Rusesabagina's family and supporters, however, said Rwandan authorities have denied him access to a lawyer nearly a week after the outspoken government critic was paraded in handcuffs and accused of terrorism.
The family has said they believe he was kidnapped during a visit to Dubai and that he would never knowingly have boarded a plane for Kigali.
Rusesabagina was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 for helping to save lives during Rwanda’s genocide in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.
It is not clear when Rusesabagina will appear in court.
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