By David Himbara
Latest Condemnation of these Acts Came from the US Senate and Arsenal Football Club Supporters in the UK
General Paul Kagame’s state machine captured Paul Rusesabagina in Dubai in August 2020, and just sentenced him to a 25-year prison term. This is effectively a death sentence – now aged 67 years old, and on chronic medication, Rusesabagina will be 92 years when his sentence expires. The condemnation of the extraordinary rendition and imprisonment of Rusesabagina is universal – the latest came from the US Senate and the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust in the UK.
The US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee’s condemnation of the Rusesabagina’s abduction and trial went as follows: “The verdict is in: there is no justice under the law in Rwanda for those who oppose the regime. Mr. Rusesabagina’s shocking rendition & sham trial are only the latest examples of the penalty for dissent. Rwanda must open political space at home & stop chasing down critics abroad.” The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust’s response was that “Disappointingly Arsenal appears to have lost its moral compass in its desire to maximise revenues.” The Kagame government pays Arsenal Football Club over US$40 million a year to wear “Visit Rwanda” on the players’ shirt sleeves. Does Kagame pay attention to any of these condemnations? Time will tell. Stay tuned.
