Paul Rusesabagina looks on as he sits with some of his coaccused at the Supreme Court in Kigali on February 17, 2021 where he is facing charges related to their association with Mouvement Rwandais pour le changement démocratique (MRCD) and its armed KIGALI, Rwanda - Rwanda's government has commuted the 25-year sentence of Paul Rusesabagina, who inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda" for saving hundreds of countrymen from genocide but was convicted of terrorism offenses years later in a widely criticized trial.Government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told The Associated Press on Friday that the presidential order was issued after a request for clemency on behalf of Rusesabagina, a 68-year-old U.S.
resident and Belgian citizen. Senior U.S. officials said Rusesabagina arrived late Friday at the home of the Qatari ambassador in the Rwandan capital of Kigali and was expected to leave the country in the coming days.Nineteen others also had their sentences commuted.
Under Rwandan law, commutation doesn’t "extinguish" the conviction, Makolo added."Rwanda notes the constructive role of the U.S.
government in creating conditions for dialogue on this issue, as well as the facilitation provided by the state of Qatar," she said.