GENEVA (9 May 2018) –
UN human rights experts* are calling on the authorities in
Burundi to release immediately a leading human rights worker, Germain
Rukuki, who was sentenced to 32 years’ jail by the High Court of
Ntahangwa for his work with civil society organisations.
Mr.
Rukuki was arrested in July 2017 for his work with the organisation
ACAT-Burundi – a Christian organisation which campaigns against torture.
He was sentenced on 3 April
2018 when he appeared in court charged with rebellion, breach of State
security, participation in an insurrectional movement and attacking the
head of State, among other charges.
Many
irregularities and procedural problems were reported during his trial.
Among them, his lawyers had no access to the hearing, or to his file,
the trial was expedited and
held behind closed doors, and virtually no evidence was presented by
the prosecution, except some documents he was forced to sign.
“We
appeal to the authorities to annul Mr. Rukuki's sentence and free him
now. We also urge them to stop obstructing the work of civil society and
allow human rights defenders
to express themselves freely and without fear,” the experts said.
The
sentence was passed amid a large-scale crackdown against human rights
defenders in Burundi. Many of them and civil society organisations have
been subjected to harassment
by the authorities since 2015 when a mass movement emerged in protest
against the incumbent President Nkurunziza’s attempt to secure a third
term in office.
“We
are extremely worried that this harsh verdict is not an isolated case.
Over the past few years the witch-hunt carried out by the authorities
against dissenting voices
has led to many human rights defenders and journalists fleeing Burundi
and dissuaded civil society from engaging in any activity,” the experts
concluded.
ENDS
*The UN experts:
Mr. Clément Nyaletsossi Voulé, is Special Rapporteur
on the
rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Mr. Michel Forst, is Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights defenders;
and David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the
right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special
Procedures of
the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of
independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general
name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring
mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic
issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a
voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive
a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or
organization and serve in their individual capacity.
UN Human Rights, country page –
Burundi
For further information and
media requests, please contact: please contact Marion Mondain (+41 22 91 79 540 /
defenders@ohchr.org)
For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact:
This year is the
70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted by the UN on 10 December 1948. The Universal Declaration –
translated into a world record 500 languages – is rooted in the
principle that “all human beings are born free and equal
in dignity and rights.” It remains relevant to everyone, every day. In
honour of the 70th anniversary of this extraordinarily influential
document, and to prevent its vital principles from being eroded, we are
urging people everywhere to
Stand Up for Human Rights: www.standup4humanrights.org.
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