Search
Close this search box.

Burundi: A decisive moment for the future of human rights defenders

After the sudden passing of President Nkurunziza of Burundi, General Évariste Ndayishimiye will take the oath to become the new President of Burundi. 

As this swift power transition unfolds, it also offers an opportunity to open a new chapter for the people of Burundi and its civil society. Our organizations encourage the newly elected President to place its tenure under the sign of reconciliation and to grant pardon to all human rights defenders who are currently unjustly detained, such as Germain Rukuki, Nestor Nibitanga, Egide Harerimana, Christine Kamikazi, Terence Mpozenzi and Agnès Ndiribusa.

Signatories:
1. Protection International
2. Protection International Africa
3. DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
4. FIDH, in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
5. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), in the framework of the Observatory for the
Protection of Human Rights Defenders
6. Fédération internationale des ACAT (FIACAT)
7. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
8. Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC)

 

PDF version (French and English).

MORE NEWS:

Human Rights Defender of the month: Leon Ntakiyiruta

As a child, Leon wanted to be a magistrate – whom he saw as agents of justice. Born in 1983 in Burundi’s Southern province, he came of age at a time of great social and political upheaval in the East African country. In 1993 when Leon was barely 10, Burundi was besieged by a civil war that would last for the next 12 years until 2005, characterized by indiscriminate violence and gross human rights abuses in which over 300,000 people are estimated to have died.In 2012, still struggling to find her footing in Kampala, Aida was introduced to DefendDefenders, where she was introduced to the organisation’s resource center, and assured, it (the center) would be at her disposal whenever she needed to use it.

SHARE WITH FRIENDS: