Paul Rusesabagina on Friday appeared before the Nyarugenge high court for hearing of his pre-trial detention. The Hollywood star that has been used to wearing well pressed designer suits, shoes and khaki pants and sipping on expensive champagnes and laughing away the past 24 years will have to adjust to a new outfit.
The Kicukiro based court of first instance recently ruled that Rusesabagina be committed to a 30-day pre-trial detention as his deep trial process begins.
On Friday, Rusesabagina 66-year-old arrived in signature pink rose suit officially accorded to Rwanda's Prisoners.
Rusesabagina  who is on record for declaring war against the government in a YouTube video, is now battling charges of 'terrorism', complicity in murder, and forming or joining an armed group, among other charges.
Suspect Rusesabagina is the leader of the opposition MRCD group which is said to have an armed wing, the FLN, which stages attacks on Rwanda. His name also featured recently in another ongoing terrorism case- court had heard allegations that the National Liberation Front (FLN) rebel group had received help from Zambia's President Edgar Lungu because of his close friendship with Rusesabagina.
However, his lawyer, David Rugaza submitted that Rwandan courts do not have the jurisdiction to try Rusesabagina arguing that he is a Belgian national. He also holds a US green-card, left his home in San Antonio, Texas, and landed in Dubai at the end of August, his family said.
'He got a Belgian citizenship in 1999 and therefore there is another key issue here where one might say that Rwanda is trying a foreign citizen on freedom of expression that he enjoyed while abroad,' Rugaza told court.
The European Union parliament has jumped into the fray in the matter of trial of Rusesabagina in Rwanda.
'We the undersigned are extremely worried about the arrest of Belgian citizen and human rights activist Paul Rusesabagina in Rwanda. We are calling for immediate action by the European Union to ensure that the legality of the arrest and trial of Mr. Rusesabagina are investigated and that his rights as European citizen are upheld at all stages of this process,' the Brussels based parliament said in a statement.
Source : https://taarifa.rw/paul-rusesabagina-now-in-pink-suit-claims-isnt-rwandan-citizen/
