UN urges Burundi to reverse ban on oldest human rights group

La société The United Nations has called on Burundi’s government
to reverse its decision to ban the African country’s
oldest human rights organization.

Burundi’s Ministry of Interior issued the ban this week,
accusing the rights group Ligue Iteka of tarnishing the
country’s image and “sowing hatred and division within
the Burundian community.”

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on Wednesday
said the group “carries out crucial work in monitoring
and documenting human rights abuses committed in
Burundi, which is all the more important given the
precarious human rights situation in the country.”
Haq said that along with urging a reversal of the ban,
the U.N. is calling on Burundi’s government to
reconsider restrictions on other human right and civil
society organizations imposed in the past three
months.

A statement signed by the interior minister Pascal
Barandagiye said the rights organisation’s recalcitrance
necessitated the complete ban decided by a
Commission of Inquiry.
"
Burundi bans sixth human rights organisation in
three months

— Democrate Né (@19decembre) January 4,
2017"
However, the chairman of Ligue Iteka, Anshaire
Nikoyagize, said the activities of the organisation will
not be affected in any way by the ban.

In November, Ligue Iteka in partnership with the
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
published a report accusing the government of
repression and state-sponsored violence.

Credit: #africanews.com