News
Burundi: EMERGENCY FOR PRESS FREEDOM
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 19 Burundian civil society organizations
unite their voices to denounce the continued persecution of journalists and the brazen
violation of press freedom. Since the start of the political crisis in 2015 following the
unconstitutional third term of President Pierre Nkurunziza, Burundi has been notable for
the continued deterioration of the working conditions of journalists and the drastic
restriction of civic space orchestrated by the CNDD-FDD regime in power.
This blocking of media and civic space materialized in the destruction of independent
media such as RPA, Bonesha FM, Isanganiro, Rema FM and Radio Télévision Renaissance
following the failed coup d’état of May 2015. Since then, around a hundred journalists
were forced into exile, while seven of them were sentenced to life imprisonment in
absentia following an unfair trial, which constitutes a serious violation of the right to a
fair trial.