Unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and sexual violence were carried out, mainly against perceived political opponents. Freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly remained restricted; journalists and human rights defenders faced reprisals for their work....

Authorities across East and Southern Africa escalated their attacks against journalists and press freedom across the region to suppress reporting of corruption and human rights violations throughout 2022, the Media Institute of Southern Africa and Amnesty International said today to mark World...

Following the arrest of the former Burundian prime minister, Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, on 21 April 2023, and his right-hand man Désiré Uwamahoro on 18 April 2023, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director Flavia Mwangovya said: “This is an opportunity for the Burundian authorities to ensure...

Burundian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release five human rights defenders arbitrarily arrested on February 14, 2023, and drop the baseless charges against them, Amnesty International, the Burundi Human Rights Initiative, and Human Rights Watch said today. The five human...

Global pharmaceutical giants are continuing to deny low and lower-middle income countries in East Africa, the Horn and Great Lakes enough Covid-19 jabs to vaccinate their populations to ensure the rights to life and to health, Amnesty International said today in a new public statement. The vaccines...

Reacting to news that Burundian human rights defender Germain Rukuki has been released after serving more than four years in prison, Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said: “It is terrific news that Germain is finally free. He should never have...

Reacting to news that Burundian human rights defender Germain Rukuki’s prison sentence has been reduced from 32 years to one, Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa said: “This is fantastic news, not only for Germain and his family, but also for...

Journalists and media houses across East and Southern Africa came under increasing attack in the past year, despite the urgent need for access to information during the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises in the region, Amnesty International said today. Across the region, media workers have been...

Burundian authorities must quash human rights activist Germain Rukuki’s conviction on spurious charges and immediately and unconditionally release him from prison, where he is being detained simply for his work defending human rights, said Amnesty International today as a new appeal hearing on his...

Amnesty International highlights Germain Rukuki’s case in its flagship annual letter-writing campaign The Burundian authorities must overturn human rights defender Germain Rukuki’s conviction and release him immediately and unconditionally, Amnesty International said today as it launched its annual...

Today, the International Day of the Disappeared, marks 1,500 days since Burundi journalist Jean Bigirimana went missing, allegedly after being arrested by the country’s National Intelligence Service. Jean has not been seen or heard from since 22 July 2016, and his wife Godeberthe Hakizimana and two...

Burundi’s new government, under the leadership of President Evariste Ndayishimiye, was sworn into office sooner than expected, following the sudden death of the outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza in June. The last five years were characterized by a rapid deterioration of respect for human rights....