Man who inspired Hotel Rwanda film on his way home to San Antonio

Paul Rusesabagina — the inspiration for the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda — is heading back to San Antonio after nearly two years of being held as a political prisoner in the East African nation, according to media reports.

Rwandan authorities released Rusesabagina Thursday. He was then moved to the Qatari embassy in Kigali before being put on a flight to Doha, Qatar, the Express-News reports.

The man who claims to have saved more than 1,000 Hutu and Tutsi refugees during the Rwandan genocide is expected to land at Bush Intercontinental Airport sometime Wednesday afternoon before being moved to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

At Brooke Army Medical Center, Rusesabagina — like other American political refugees, including Brittney Griner — will undergo physical and mental health evaluations before reuniting with his family.

Rusesabagina and his family moved to San Antonio from their asylum in Belgium in 2008.

Rusesabagina was sentenced to 25 years in prison on terrorism-related charges after being kidnapped by Rwandan security forces in Dubai two and a half years ago. Foreign policy experts called these charges “frivolous.”

In the wake of his arrest, three dozen members of congress, including U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, worked to secure Rusesabagina’s release.

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