Burundi
President Évariste Ndayishimiye’s election in May 2020 raised hopes of an end to Burundi’s pervasive human rights crisis. However, the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy has maintained its monopoly on power after the elections, while reports of extrajudicial killings, disappearances and arbitrary arrests of opposition members persist. Civil society and independent media are still unable to effectively function. While four prominent journalists were pardoned and released in late 2020, several human rights defenders remain in jail despite international calls for their release.
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Africa
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Africa
Videos
Videos-
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May 18, 2022
Burundi: Suspected Opponents Killed, Detained, Tortured
Security Force Abuses Deepen Insecurity
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September 17, 2021
Burundi: Allegations of Killings, Disappearances, Torture
UN Rights Body Should Ensure International Investigations Continue
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May 26, 2021
Burundi: Entrenched Repression of Civil Society, Media
End Abusive Prosecutions; Lift Restrictions on Free Speech
News
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March 27, 2026
The Loss of a Journalist in Burundi
Human Rights Watch Mourns the Passing of Jackson Bahati
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February 4, 2026
Central Africa: Civilians at Risk in Eastern Congo
Crackdown on Freedoms in Burundi, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Rwanda
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October 15, 2025
From Burundi to Washington: Recognizing the Warning Signs
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September 2, 2025
Bye-bye Arusha Accords as Burundi solidifies one-party rule
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August 20, 2025
Burundi: As Risk Factors Multiply, Extend the Special Rapporteur's Mandate
Joint Letter by NGOs to the United Nations Human Rights Council - HRC60
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June 27, 2025
Human Rights Watch Oral Statement at the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
HRW Oral Statement - ID with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi - HRC59
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June 12, 2025
Burundi: Elections Without Opposition
Legislative and Commune-Level Vote Dominated by Repression, Censorship
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January 16, 2025
Central Africa: Crackdowns on Democratic Space
Wartime Abuses Rampant with Little Accountability
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October 10, 2024
UN Recognizes Need for Continued Scrutiny of Burundi’s Rights Crisis
Government Should Cooperate with UN and End Impunity
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September 23, 2024
Burundi: Continued UN Oversight Needed as Grave Abuses Persist
HRW Oral Statement - ID with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi - HRC57
