UN Experts Alarmed by Escalating Human Rights Abuses in Burundi’s Elections

A group of United Nations human rights experts has voiced deep concern over a sharp rise in grave violations in Burundi, warning that widespread abuses linked to the country’s 2025 elections may amount to crimes against humanity under international law.

Widespread and Systematic Violations

Between January 2024 and May 2025, Burundian civil society organizations documented:

• 200 cases of sexual violence, including child rape.

• 58 enforced disappearances.

• 62 acts of torture.

• 892 arbitrary detentions.

• 605 extrajudicial executions.

According to reports, these abuses were allegedly carried out by state agents or actors benefiting from official complicity, including the National Intelligence Service, police units, and the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD. Experts described the situation as one of “mob justice under impunity.”

“These grave violations are being used to intimidate the population during election periods, in the interest of the ruling party,” the UN experts said, noting that the scale and systematic nature of these acts raises profound international concern.

Election Manipulation and Intimidation

On 5 June 2025, the CNDD-FDD secured 96% of the national vote, taking 100% of the seats in the National Assembly and nearly all communal positions. UN experts expressed alarm at the climate in which these results were achieved.

Leading up to the polls, Burundian civil society reported:

• Forced voter registration, with citizens coerced into electoral rolls.

• Mandatory collective payments tied to electoral processes.

• Conditional access to public services, requiring state validation.

• Threats, arbitrary seizures, and intimidation in cases of refusal.

Such practices, experts warned, undermine the credibility of the elections and contribute to a climate of fear and repression.

Targeting of Journalists and Civil Society

The experts highlighted a disturbing trend of abductions, arbitrary detentions, and executions targeting journalists, human rights defenders, opposition members, and their relatives.

One emblematic case is the abduction of journalist Aline Sandra Muhoza, which experts say reflects a broader campaign of repression against critical voices.

“These acts, carried out on the eve of legislative, communal, and local elections, reveal the shrinking civic space and growing intimidation of dissent in Burundi,” the experts noted.

Failure to Cooperate with International Mechanisms

The experts criticized the Burundian government for its continued refusal to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi. They also deplored the ongoing closure of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Burundi, which has hindered independent monitoring.

“The Government has an obligation to prevent, punish, and investigate these crimes and bring perpetrators to justice,” the experts said. “Without accountability, Burundi risks entrenching a cycle of impunity and violence.”

Crimes Against Humanity Warning

The UN experts recalled the April 2021 findings of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, which concluded that when violations are widespread and systematic, particularly in electoral contexts, they may constitute crimes against humanity under international law.

The current surge in disappearances, torture, sexual violence, and executions, they stressed, mirrors the commission’s warning signs.

Call for Urgent Action

Experts urged the Burundian authorities to:

• Guarantee free and fair elections by protecting civil and political rights.

• Provide comprehensive care for victims of sexual violence, including free reproductive health services and psychological support.

• Reopen channels of cooperation with the UN human rights system.

• Ensure that perpetrators of abuses, including state actors, face justice.

“Respect for rights and freedoms, and the protection of human rights defenders, activists, and journalists, is indispensable for legitimate elections,” the experts emphasized.

As Burundi stands at a crossroads, the international community is being called to increase its scrutiny, provide support to victims, and ensure that human rights remain at the center of the country’s democratic and development path.