ISHR
On 22 September 2022, Fortuné Gaetan Zongo presented his first written report, in accordance with resolution 48/16 establishing his mandate as UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi.
Fortuné Gaetan Zongo presented his first written report during the 51st session of the Human Rights Council.
The Special Rapporteur noted that “[d]espite the commitments and measures taken by the Burundian government, the human rights situation has not changed in any substantial or lasting way” and that “little progress has been made on aspects of the transitional justice program, particularly with respect to accountability, reparations, land restitution, and security and justice sector reform”.
He also stressed the dire situation of human rights defenders in Burundi, who have, at times, been forced into exile where they live in great precariousness, as well as the targeting of human rights organisations, which work in a climate of fear of reprisals and are subject to restrictive laws limiting democratic space and strengthening government control.
In a statement delivered by Lambert Nigarura, ISHR and the Coalition Burundaise pour la CPI (CB-CPI) urged Burundi to recognise the existence of human rights challenges in Burundi, to cooperate fully with the office of the Special Rapporteur, and to grant him the necessary access to the country for his work.
In particular, ISHR and the CB-CPI shared their concern about the youth of the ruling party, the Imbonerakuré, who continue to commit, with impunity, human rights violations such as torture, murder, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and sexual violence with the assistance of local officials, the National Intelligence Service, the police and the army.
This concern was shared by Fortuné Gaetan Zongo, who stated that “[s]elective impunity for the prosecution of alleged perpetrators of serious violations in favor of common crimes remains significant.” As raised by the Special Rapporteur, this climate of impunity is amplified by the hate speech from the party in power itself, such as a recent statement made by the Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD, calling on the Imbonerakuré to continue night patrols and to kill any “troublemakers”.
A newly-released confidential letter by a UN Special Rapporteur documents the disbarment of human rights lawyers in China and the tightening ideological control over lawyers and law firms. The UN expert denounces disappearances, closed-door trials, harassment of relatives, travel bans, and other abuses targeting human rights lawyers.
On Tuesday 16 April 2024, ISHR delivered to both Geneva’s Administrative Council and its legislative counterpart, the Municipal Council, physical copies of the more than 1000 signatures collected in support of a memorial honouring Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli.
The 79th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will be held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 14 May to 3 June 2024. The session will be preceded by the NGO Forum, which will be held in hybrid format from the 11-13 May 2024.
