Paul Rusesabagina, 'Hotel Rwanda' hero, released from prison

Paul Rusesabagina,
# 25 March 2023 14:05 (UTC +04:00)

The man who was celebrated as a hero in the movie Hotel Rwanda for saving lives during the Rwandan genocide has been released from prison, APA reports citing NPR.

Senior Biden administration officials confirmed to reporters that Paul Rusesabagina had been released from prison in the capital of Kigali late Friday evening. He was accompanied by U.S. Embassy officials and moved to the residence of Qatar's ambassador.

He was released after the Rwandan government commuted his sentence of 25 years on terrorism charges. He was sentenced in 2021.

"The family of Paul Rusesabagina is pleased to hear the news about his release," a spokesperson said in a statement. "They hope to reunite with him soon."

Rusesabagina was a hotel manager during the 1994 genocide. He rose to fame when Hollywood released the film, where he was played by Don Cheadle about his actions to protect Tutsis, who sought refuge at the hotel from Hutu death squads. He was credited with protecting and saving the lives of more than 1,000 people.

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