Main content

Daughter's concern for jailed Kagame critic

Paul Rusesabagina says he's been told he won't be given food, water or medicine. His daughter says it's an attempt to force him to cooperate with his trial

The children of jailed dissident Paul Rusesabagina say they fear for his life after he told them that Rwandan prison officials had informed him his access to food, water and medicine would be cut from last Saturday. His lawyers have been denied access to him.

Mr Rusesabagina is the former hotelier whose efforts to save more than 1,200 people during the country’s genocide were depicted in the film β€œHotel Rwanda”. He later became a critic of the government of President Paul Kagame and is being held in prison on terrorism-related charges.

Rwanda's Correctional Services tweeted over the weekend that all inmates are treated β€œequally” and that Mr Rusesabagina had access to meals and a medical doctor.

One of his daughters, Carine Kanimba, says it appears to be an attempt to coerce him into cooperating with legal proceedings against him.

"My father decided to stop participating on March 12th. Ever since, the situation has escalated with restrictions on his lawyers, and we believe this is an additional form of torture to force him back into court in order for President Paul Kagame to continue his show trial."

(Photo: Paul Rusesabagina in the Supreme Court in Kigali in February. Credit: AFP)

Release date:

Duration:

3 minutes