The UN Committee against Torture to review Burundi Human Rights deterioration

A young man handcuffed in a tear gas smosky car

The UN Committee against torture will conduct a special review of Burundi on 28 and 29 July in Geneva, in the light of the information it has recently received about the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.

According to the statement issued on 25 July by the UN office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, the members of the UN committee against torture and the Burundian delegation headed by the Justice Minister will discuss different issues specified in the Committee’s written request for a special report sent to the Burundian Government in December 2015.

The specific concerns that will be discussed include firstly the steps taken to investigate summary executions, arbitrary detentions, torture and mistreatment of opposition members, journalists, human rights defenders, and those considered supportive of the opposition since 2015.

Secondly, they will talk about the progress of investigations regarding the attack against the chairman of the association defending Human Rights and detainees’ rights-APRODH, Pierre-Claver Mbonimpa in August 2015 as well as the kidnapping and murder of his son Welly Nzitonda in November 2015.

Thirdly, the members of the committee against torture with the Burundian delegation will then analyze the investigations over allegations of torture committed by the National Intelligence Service and the investigation process on the killings and acts of torture allegedly carried out by members of the Imbonerakure- the youths affiliated to the ruling CNDD-FDD party. Measures taken to implement the Committee’s previous recommendations issued in 2014, when Burundi was examined under the regular review process will also be analyzed.

Members of the CAT are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of states parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are an independent assessment of States’ compliance with their human rights obligations under the treaty.