Rusesabagina v. Republic of Rwanda

• Court: District Court, District of Columbia
• Decided: January 23, 2023
• Docket: Civil Action No. 2022-0469
• Status: Published

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

PAUL RUSESABAGINA, et al., ) ) Plaintiffs ) ) v. ) Civil Case No. 22-469 (RJL) ) THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA, et al., ) ) Defendants ) )

MEMO�UM OPINION January Q\3, 2023 [Dkt. ## 18, 25]

Plaintiffs Paul Rusesabagina ("Rusesabagina"), his wife, and his six children

(collectively, "plaintiffs") have sued the Republic of Rwanda, its President, Paul Kagame,

and three Rwandan officials for harms stemming from Rusesabagina's alleged kidnapping,

torture, and detention. Now before the Court are motions to dismiss filed by Rwanda and

President Kagame. All plaintiffs' claims against those defendants are barred by foreign

sovereign immunity and head of state immunity. Therefore, I will GRANT Rwanda's

[Dkt. # 18] and President Kagame's [Dkt. # 25] Motions to Dismiss.

BACKGROUND

I. Factual Background

Except where otherwise noted, the recitation of facts is drawn from the Amended

Complaint. See Am. Compl. ("Compl.") [Dkt. #17]. In resolving a motion to dismiss, the