SOS-TORTURE Burundi REPORT NO. 498 PUBLISHED ON 29 JUNE 2025
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 21 to 28 June 2025 and documents cases of human rights violations committed on Burundian territory.
During this period, one (1) person was murdered in Muyinga province.
The report also reports the case of one (1) person who was seriously injured by police officers in Makamba province.
Urgent Appeal for a fair approach to the memory of crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Burundi
From: the below signatory Burundian civil society organizations:
- Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture au Burundi (ACAT Burundi)
- Association des Journalistes Burundais en Exil (AJBE)
- Association burundaise pour la protection des droits de l’homme et des personnes détenues (APRODH)
- Centre pour le Renforcement de l’Éducation et du Développement de la Jeunesse (CREDEJ)
- Coalition Burundaise des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme (CBDDH)
- Coalition pour la des Défense des droits Humains Vivant dans les Camps des Réfugiés (CDH/VICAR)
- Coalition Burundaise pour la Cour Pénale Internationale (CB-CPI)
- Coalition de la Société Civile pour le Monitoring Électoral (COSOME)
- Collectif des Avocats pour la défense des Victimes de crimes de droit International commis au Burundi (CAVIB)
- Ensemble pour le Soutien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en danger (ESDDH)
- Forum pour la Conscience et de Développement (FOCODE)
- Forum pour le Renforcement de la société civile au Burundi (FORSC)
- Light for all
- Ligue ITEKA
- Mouvement INAMAHORO
- Mouvement des femmes et filles pour la Paix et la Sécurité au Burundi (MFFPS)
- Réseau des Citoyens Probes (RCP)
- SOS Torture-Burundi
- Tournons la Page-Burundi (TLP-Burundi)
- Union Burundaise des Journalistes (UBJ)
To the attention of:
- The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres
- The United Nations Secretary-General Special Advisor on the prevention of genocide, Ms Wairimu Alice Nderitu
- The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Philemon Yang,
- The United Nations High Commissionner for Human Rights, Mr. Monsieur Volker Türk,
- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Mr. Bernard Duhaime
- Permanent Représentatives to the United Nations
Your Excellencies, with our highest consideration,
We, the Burundian civil society organizations, signatories of this appeal, have been informed of a plan to hold a side event this June 25, 2025, at the United Nations Headquarters, on the topic “The 1972 Genocide against the Hutu of Burundi: from memory to action in the framework of the responsibility to protect.” This title raises serious ethical, legal and political concerns.
It is well known that the recognition of genocide is a highly sensitive process, strictly guided by the 1948 Convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. To date, no competent international body has legally qualified the events of 1972 in Burundi as genocide according to international law.
Since the political crisis that has been shaking Burundi since 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which has become a political instrument used by the ruling party (CNDD-FDD), has only carried out isolated work that only serves to divide Burundians who were victims of several tragedies that have bereaved both the Twa, Tutsis and Hutus simultaneously or in separate episodes.
Holding such an event under the auspices of the United Nations may end up endorsing a partial, unilateral and politicized reading of Burundian history.
BDI CSOs Urgent Appeal to UN June2025
SOS-TORTURE Burundi REPORT NO. 497 PUBLISHED ON 22 JUNE 2025
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 14 to 21 June 2025 and documents cases of human rights violations committed on Burundian territory.
During this period, four (4) people were murdered in the province of Cibitoke and in the town hall of Bujumbura.
The report also reports the arbitrary arrest of one (1) priest by agents of the National Intelligence Service (SNR) in the province of Rumonge, as well as the kidnapping of two (2) people in Bujumbura town hall.
Observation report of the legislative and communal elections of 5 June 2025
Introduction
This report summarizes the findings of the observation conducted by SOS-Torture/Burundi monitors on the occasion of the legislative and communal elections held on June 5, 2025. It aims to assess the regularity, transparency and fairness of the electoral process and to make recommendations to strengthen democratic guarantees in Burundi.
Observation report of the election of June 5, 2025 in Burundi
SOS-TORTURE Burundi REPORT NO. 496 PUBLISHED ON JUNE 15, 2025
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 7 to 14 June 2025 and documents cases of human rights violations committed on Burundian territory.
During this period, five (5) people were murdered in the provinces of Cibitoke, Gitega and Rumonge.
The report also mentions four (4) people seriously injured by Imbonerakure, mainly in the context of cases of political intolerance following the recent election, as well as the arbitrary arrest of three (3) association leaders at the Melchior Ndadaye International Airport in Bujumbura.
Press release relating to the elections of June 5, 2025 in Burundi
PRESS RELEASE
Burundi’s 5 June 2025 elections: an electoral process marred by repression, fraud and media censorship
SOS-Torture/Burundi expresses its deep concern about the conduct of the legislative and communal elections of 5 June 2025, which took place in a climate of intimidation, targeted violence, electoral fraud and a clear shrinking of civic space. This process, instead of being a step towards democratic consolidation, has turned out to be a real regression in terms of political freedoms, transparency and citizen participation.
Evidence documented by SOS-Torture/Burundi and corroborated by multiple testimonies collected from journalists, observers and political party representatives reveals that the elections were strongly marked by intimidation and violence. In several provinces of the country, including Bubanza, Bujumbura, Gitega, Makamba, and Ngozi, Imbonerakure, a militia affiliated with the ruling party, were deployed to force citizens to vote under threat, expel opposition representatives from polling stations, and suppress any dissent. Arbitrary arrests and acts of physical violence were also recorded.
Download here Press release relating to the elections of June 5, 2025 in Burundi
REPORT NO. 495 OF SOS-TORTURE BURUNDI PUBLISHED ON JUNE 8, 2025
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 31 May to 8 June 2025 and documents cases of human rights violations committed on Burundian territory.
During this period, three (3) people were murdered in the provinces of Cibitoke, Gitega and Kirundo.
The report also notes the arbitrary arrest and detention of two (2) activists of the Council of Patriots (CDP) party, respectively in the province of Bubanza and in the town hall of Bujumbura, as well as the kidnapping of the director of the communal high school of Ruseseka in the province of Cibitoke.
SOS-TORTURE Burundi REPORT NO. 494
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 25 to 31 May 2025 and documents cases of human rights violations committed in Burundi.
During this period, one (1) person was murdered in Gitega province.
The report also notes several cases of political intolerance and electoral violence committed throughout the national territory.
Joint Statement on Political Intolerance in Burundi Ahead of the June 2025 Elections
Joint Statement on Political Intolerance in Burundi Ahead of the June 2025 Elections
As the legislative, municipal, and hilltop elections scheduled for June 2025 in Burundi approach, the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights and the organization SOS-Torture/Burundi express their deep concern about the growing political intolerance characterizing the pre-election climate, exacerbated by an upsurge in violence, hate speech, and other serious violations of fundamental rights.
Political tensions and acts of repression against members of the opposition, independent journalists, human rights defenders, and ordinary citizens exercising their freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly are increasingly being reported in various regions of the country.
Since the launch of the electoral campaign, several opposition political parties have denounced a series of acts of intimidation, physical attacks, and harassment, which they attribute to youth affiliated with the ruling CNDD-FDD party, known as Imbonerakure. These practices fuel a widespread climate of fear, hindering free participation in the electoral process and undermining the very foundations of democracy.
Joint Statement on Political Intolerance in Burundi Ahead of the June 2025 Elections
SOS-TORTURE Burundi REPORT NO. 493 PUBLISHED ON 25 MAY 2025
This report by SOS-Torture Burundi covers the period from 17 to 25 May 2025 and documents cases of human rights violations committed in Burundi.
During this period, two (2) people were seriously injured in the provinces of Bubanza and Gitega.
The report also notes the case of one (1) official of the Council of Patriots (CDP) in Rutana province arbitrarily detained, as well as one (1) person kidnapped by soldiers in Gitega province.