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The Rwandan former hotel manager, 67, is credited with saving the lives of more than 1, people during the genocide. Over the course of days, starting in April , about , people, mostly ethnic Tutsis were massacred by extremists from the Hutu community. As Rusesabagina, a Hutu married to a Tutsi, described in his autobiography, An Ordinary Man, it was his ability to persuade the killers against targeting those who had sought refuge in the Hotel Mille Collines that spared them.

He was also able to use his connections and call in favours with some of the high-profile people who used to pass through the upmarket hotel. In addition he had cash. In one passage he writes about the hotel being surrounded by "hundreds of [militia] holding spears, machetes, and rifles" shortly after he was told he had to evacuate the building. He then got on the phone and spoke to as many senior officials as he could, one of whom called off the attack. He always maintained that it was what he said that made the difference.

Words can be "powerful tools of life", he wrote in his book, but now they have landed him in prison. Rusesabagina, who left Rwanda in , went from hero to enemy of the state in a short time as his criticism of the post-genocide government grew louder. It gradually morphed into calls for regime change. In a video message in , he was recorded as saying that "the time has come for us to use any means possible to bring about change in Rwanda.

As all political means have been tried and failed, it is time to attempt our last resort". Rwanda's government, under President Paul Kagame, has a reputation for dealing harshly with opponents in exile. Mr Kagame, a Tutsi, led the forces that ended the slaughter and later went on to become president. A number of his critics have been killed, or attempts have been made on their lives, but the government has always dismissed suggestions that it was involved.

Rusesabagina had long complained of harassment from Rwandan agents. In , he left Belgium, where he had settled with his family, for the US after his home was burgled several times and important documents were stolen.

His journey to pariah status began after the film Hotel Rwanda was released in Rusesabagina's story had remained largely unknown for a decade, while he worked as a taxi driver in the Belgian capital, Brussels. Jack : What the hell do I know? Sign In. Play clip Biography Drama History. Director Terry George.

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Watch options. Storyline Edit. Rusesabagina's trial began in February, six months after he arrived in Kigali on a flight from Dubai. His supporters say he was kidnapped; the Rwandan government suggested he was tricked into boarding a private plane.

Human Rights Watch said his arrest amounted to an enforced disappearance, which it called a serious violation of international law. Kagame denies accusations of abuse and has enjoyed support from Western donors for restoring stability and boosting economic growth.

Rights groups describe the Rusesabagina case as part of a pattern of intimidating Kagame's political opponents. Carine Kanimba, Rusesabagina's daughter, said the family knew what the verdict would be. Rusesabagina's Rwandan lawyer said they would meet him to find out if he wished to appeal. He accused Rwandan authorities of intercepting legal documents and denying him access to an international team.

Both Belgium and the United States criticised the trial. State Department spokesman Ned Price said "the reported lack of fair trial guarantees calls into question the fairness of the verdict. Faustin Nkusi, spokesman for the Rwandan prosecution, insisted the trial was fair, Rwanda was experienced in holding high profile trials and that defendants had plenty of time to prepare.