Human Rights Violations
Documented. Verified. Shared.

Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager who inspired the film Hotel Rwanda and a prominent government critic, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Rwandan court on terrorism-related charges. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United Nations condemned the trial as politically motivated, citing violations of fair trial standards including his alleged coerced confession and denial of access to lawyers of his choice. Rusesabagina, a Belgian citizen, was brought to Rwanda in 2020 in circumstances his family described as a kidnapping.

Luaty Beirão, a prominent Angolan rapper and pro-democracy activist, was arrested on 20 June 2015 along with 16 other activists during a book club meeting in Luanda where they were discussing Gene Sharp's book From Dictatorship to Democracy. He was sentenced to five years and six months in prison on charges of rebellion against the president, criminal association, and falsifying documents. Beirão conducted a 36-day hunger strike in protest at his arbitrary detention, reaching critical condition. Amnesty International declared all 17 defendants prisoners of conscience.