(CNN) Paul Rusesabagina, who inspired the movie "Hotel Rwanda," appeared in court in Kigali on Wednesday along with 20 others accused of conspiring to launch attacks on Rwandan territory in 2018 and 2019, resulting in at least nine deaths. The 66-year-old was first arrested in August 2020 and faces nine charges, including financing terrorism, murder as an act of terrorism, formation of an irregular armed group, and membership of a terrorist group, among others, according to prosecutors. During the trial — which was heard by Rwanda's High Court Chamber for International and Cross-Border Crimes — the outspoken critic of Rwandan president Paul Kagame told the court that he wished to be referred to as a Belgian citizen kidnapped by the Rwandan authorities, who have no jurisdiction to try him. "I am a Belgian citizen. I am here simply as a hostage," Rusesabagina said, adding that he renounced his Rwandan citizenship in 1996 when he fled Rwanda to Belgium.

Source: CNN February 18, 2021 15:45 UTC