Category: Declaration
On Human Rights Day: A Joint Appeal to Protect Burundians at Home and in Exile
On International Human Rights Day, SOS-Torture Burundi and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre warn of a severe and persistent human rights deterioration in Burundi in 2025. They denounce arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, repression linked to the elections, and inhumane prison conditions. They also highlight the alarming situation of over 110,000 Burundian refugees in Tanzania facing discrimination, pressure, and risks of forced repatriation. The organizations urgently call on Burundi, Tanzania, UNHCR, and the international community to act. They reaffirm their commitment to pursuing truth, justice, and protection for all affected populations.
Report on irregularities on local elections of 25th August 2025
The experience of previous legislative, communal, and senatorial elections in June and July 2025 showed a recurring tendency for the authorities to manipulate the elections, with the support of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), whose impartiality is widely questioned by many national and international observers.
It was in this context of widespread mistrust, a climate of fear, and political domination by CNDD-FDD that the local elections were held on August 25, 2025. This report highlights the irregularities documented in several provinces and communes to witness serious malfunctions that marred the integrity of this election and to contribute to the collective memory and advocacy efforts for free, fair, and credible elections in Burundi.
Burundi: Civil society is concerned about the numerous cases of enforced disappearances in 2025
Burundi: Civil society is concerned about the numerous cases of enforced disappearances in 2025
30 August 2025. On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, SOS Torture Burundi, the Women and Girls Movement for Peace and Security in Burundi and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) express their deep concern at the resurgence of cases of enforced disappearances in Burundi. These violations are part of a crackdown documented since 2015, marked by the systematic use of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture and State violence against members of opposition parties, political activists and citizens perceived as critical of the government.
Burundi: As risk factors multiply, it is imperative to extend the Special Rapporteur’s mandate
As serious human rights violations and abuses continue to be committed in Burundi in a context of widespread impunity, and as the country has entered a long electoral cycle that started with the 2025 legislative and communal elections and will culminate with the 2027 presidential election, and is associated with multiple risk factors of grave human rights violations and atrocities, the UN Human Rights Council should maintain its scrutiny of the country. At its 60th session (8 September-8 October 2025), it should extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi.
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.
SOS-TORTURE BURUNDI REPORT NO. 438 PUBLISHED ON 5 MAY 2024
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 27 April to 4 May 2024 concerning cases of human rights violations in Burundi.
During this period, at least two (2) people were murdered in the provinces of Cibitoke and Gitega.
The report also deplores the case of three (3) people from the same family abducted the same day and reported missing since 18 April 2024 in Bujumbura city.
Joint statement from Burundi’s civil society
One week ahead of the African Union/European Union summit in Brussels on February 17 and 18, 2022,
which the Burundian authorities are expected to attend, Burundi’s civil society in exile expresses its
disappointment and concern regarding the decision announced on February 8 by the European Union (EU) to
lift its sanctions against Burundi. These measures were adopted in 2016 as part of the Cotonou Agreement,
following a serious deterioration of the human rights situation in the country.
COVID-19-China: Concerns About The Situation Of African Migrants’ Victims Of Inhuman Treatment In The Context Of The Fight Against The Pandemic
Members of the SOS-Torture network in Africa addressed an urgent appeal to the special Rapporteurs on the human rights of migrants, on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and members of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent with regard to the situation of African migrants’ victims of inhuman treatment in China.
SOS Torture Burundi is member of SOS Torture network and one of the Signatories of this appeal.