Burundi – Universal Periodic Review

Session reviewed: 43rd session of the Universal Periodic Review

Date reviewed: May 4, 2023

Canada remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Burundi, particularly the suppression of civil society, and the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders.

Canada recommends that Burundi:

• Fulfil its obligation to cooperate with United Nations mechanisms and allow human rights-mandated monitoring mechanisms to complete country visits.
• Take all necessary measures to guarantee the right of all Burundians to peaceful assembly, association, and expression, free from intimidation, reprisals or discrimination, including by repealing restrictive provisions of the Penal Code Act and the Law on Public Gatherings.
• Lift all restrictive provisions that have been enforced since 2015 and ensure that civil society actors, including media outlets and journalists, can do their work freely, independently, and safe from fear, intimidation or retaliation.
• Repeal legislation that criminalizes private, consensual same-sex conduct, in line with international human rights standards.

Everyone in Burundi, including human rights defenders, should be able to exercise their freedoms of expression, association and assembly, and have confidence that impunity for serious crimes will end.