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Written statement to the Human Rights Council’s Special Session on the human rights situation in Burundi (17 December 2015)

Amnesty International welcomes the decision of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to hold a special session on Burundi. Following the country’s controversial presidential elections, the Burundian government has continued its relentless crackdown on all forms of real and perceived political opposition, a crackdown that has included crimes under international law, such as extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, and torture and other ill-treatment. The government has also taken aggressive steps to silence key non-governmental organizations and close down independent media. While it is clear that the government faces an extremely challenging security situation, characterized by armed attacks on the security forces, the government must confront these challenges in a manner consistent with human rights and the rule of law.

The political and human rights aspects of the current crisis in Burundi are closely intertwined. Efforts to resolve the political crisis have been allowed to stall. Those efforts, in particular the East African Community (EAC) mediation process endorsed by the African Union (AU), must be reinvigorated with a much greater sense of urgency and commitment. The international community must support African and UN institutions, including the UN HRC, in doing everything possible to prevent the human rights situation from deteriorating any further while taking all measures necessary to resolve the political crisis. External mediation must be reinvigorated and all actors must cooperate with mediation efforts. It is imperative that respect and protection of human rights be at the core of all solutions to the current political crisis. Any mediation or talks aimed at resolving the conflict must include addressing past abuses, providing victims with redress, and the protection of human rights in the future.