17 Dec

The UN announces that Lieutenant Colonel Gaspard Baratuza, spokesman for the Burundi military who was preparing to become the spokesman for the UN mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA), would not assume his post in the UN peacekeeping mission. In his role as spokesman for the Burundi military, Baratuza was accused of defending human rights violations.

3 June

The UN decides not to replace 280 police officers from Burundi following the conclusion of their tours of duty. The UN's decision was made "given the current allegations of serious and ongoing human rights violations in Burundi," according to Stefan Feller, then the top police adviser for UN peacekeeping. Some 840 Burundian military troops will continue serving in the Central African Republic.

17 June

In a report to the Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein details sexual violence and other human rights violations committed by government forces in Burundi.

5 Aug

The UN Deputy Spokesperson denies that Burundian Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Mayuyu is serving in the Central African Republic. Mayuyu had run a military detention center in Bujumbura for military and civilian dissidents.

24 Aug

The UN concedes that Lieutenant Colonel Mayuyu has been serving as a peacekeeper in the Central African Republic. It is announced that he will be repatriated.

20 Sept

In its final report, the UN Independent Investigation on Burundi (UNIIB) describes “abundant evidence of gross human rights violations,” possibly amounting to crimes against humanity, by the Government of Burundi and people associated with it. It calls for the phasing out of Burundian troops in peacekeeping while the crisis continues.

30 Sept

The UN Human Rights Council establishes a Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, to conduct a thorough investigation of human rights violations and abuses committed in Burundi since April 2015, identify alleged perpetrators, and make recommendations.

26 Oct

Burundi informs UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of its decision to quit the International Criminal Court, as required under the ICC's Rome Statute for formal withdrawal. Under the Statute, withdrawal does not come into effect until one year after the state has formally announced it to the UN Secretary-General.

18 Nov

A Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women report details sexual violence committed by members of Burundi's ruling party’s youth league, the Imbonerakure, including against family members of perceived opponents. The committee finds "widespread impunity owing to the absence of investigation, prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators of violence against women in conflict and victims’ lack of access to justice and reparations."

14 June

During a subsequent oral briefing, the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi describes sexual violence committed by Burundi government forces in a climate of "deep and widespread fear." The Commission "received testimonies of sexual violence against female relatives of government opponents, especially by people believed to be Imbonerakure."

5 Sept

In its report following a year of work, the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi alleges that the Burundi government has committed crimes against humanity, including rape, since April 2015. It asks the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into the crimes committed in Burundi "as soon as possible."

29 Sept

The UN Human Rights Council extends the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi for an additional year.

25 Oct

The International Criminal Court opens an investigation into crimes against humanity, including rape, committed by Burundi government forces.

27 Oct

Burundi withdraws from the International Criminal Court.

15 Feb

17 may

The Secretary-General's annual Special Measures report on sexual exploitation and abuse notes that in 2017, in the UN mission to the Central African Republic, one Burundian police personnel was accused of child rape, and two Burundian military personnel were accused of soliciting transactional sex.

A constitutional referendum, allowing president Nkurunziza to start for re-election, and consolidating the power of the ruling party, passes despite widespread opposition from Burundian citizens. Those perceived by the government to oppose the referendum are violently intimidated.

5 Sept

The Commission of Inquiry on Burundi releases its second report, which concludes that Burundi government forces continue to commit crimes against humanity including rape.

28 Sept

The Human Rights Council extends the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi for yet another year.

14 Feb

The Secretary-General's annual Special Measures report on sexual exploitation and abuse notes that in 2018, one Burundian military personnel was accused of child rape, another was accused of exploitative relationships with two victims, and a third was accused of transactional sex, all in the UN mission to the Central African Republic. Another Burundian soldier, serving with the African Union mission to the Central African Republic that preceded MINUSCA, was found by the UN to have committed child rape, and the case was referred to the Government of Burundi.

5 Mar

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, protests the closure of the UN Human Rights Office in Bujumbura, which was ordered by the Burundi government. The Government had claimed that the existence of the UN office was no longer justified, because Burundi had made sufficient progress in putting in place national mechanisms for the protection of human rights. Ms. Bachelet disagreed, saying the Office continued to receive allegations of human rights violations and abuses, but was severely hampered in its ability to investigate them.

12 Mar

29 mar

28 june

27 auG

4 sept

3 oct

24 oct

30 DEC

In an oral briefing, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi details the continued prevalence of sexual violence and other human rights violations committed by Burundi government forces in a climate of "general impunity."

The Burundian government’s crackdown on journalist intensifies, as the BBC and Voice of America are banned indefinitely.

The government suspends the last remaining independent civil rights group working in Burundi.

The Burundian government announces its intention to repatriate 200,000 refugees currently living in Tanzania. As the refugees had fled Burundi under fear of persecution, and the situation has not improved, UNHCR criticize the plan as violating the principle of non-refoulement.

In its latest report, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi warns of the heightened potential for criminal atrocities, finding that eight common risk factors for genocide are present. It calls on the UN to “ensure that no alleged perpetrator of human rights violations or international crimes in Burundi is recruited for United Nations peacekeeping missions.”

The forced repatriation of refugees from Tanzania to Burundi begins, sparking international condemnation.

The Report of the UN Secretary-General on the situation in Burundi notes the continuation of sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by government forces against civilians.

Four journalists and their driver are charged with breaching state security and held without bail; if convicted, they face up to fifteen years in prison. The journalists work for Iwacu, one of the last remaining independent media organizations in Burundi. In January 2020, the four journalists (the driver was released) were sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

2020

20 feb

12 MAR

31 MAR

2 APR

14 apr

27 APR

13 may

18 june

28 june

14 july

22 Sept

6 oct

17 NOV

20 Dec

(UN Photo / Martine Perret)

In a scathing statement released by OHCHR, two UN Special Rapporteurs, David Kaye and Michel Forst, say of the Iwacu journalists’ detention: “After a trial marred by irregularities, the sentencing of four journalists to jail for simply carrying out their jobs is not acceptable. Journalists must be able to conduct their work independently and must have unhindered access to sources of information.”

David Kaye is the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Michel Forst is the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Burundi delivered an oral briefing that detailed the increasing repression, instability, and criminality of the Burundi regime. The state-controlled youth militia, the Imbonerakure, continues to commit “serious violence” and “rape” in “collusion with local authorities or in the presence of police agents who do not intervene,” the COI said.

Human Rights Watch reported that some humanitarian organizations have been blocked from reaching and providing assistance to people in quarantine for COVID-19.

According to a report in Iwacu (one of the few independent news outlets operating in Burundi), members of the Imbonerakure killed two men (a father and his son) who had just returned from Tanzania and were suspected of having been exposed to COVID-19 there. The men, according to the report, were hacked to death with machetes.

The World Bank approved a $5 million grant to assist Burundi in its fight against COVID-19.

Campaigning officially began for the presidential election scheduled for May 20. The government vowed to go forward in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Burundi's first vice-president said that “those who want to postpone the elections due to the coronavirus are enemies of democracy.” The elections will go ahead, a presidential spokesperson said, because Burundians “are a people blessed by God.”

The Burundian government expelled the World Health Organization team, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was worsening in the country.

Following the unexpected death of Pierre Nkurunziza, Evariste Ndayishimiye was inaugurated as President of Burundi.

President Ndayishimiye publicly unveiled the members of his cabinet. Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni was announced as Prime Minister. Bunyoni is under U.S. sanctions for his alleged role in political repression against real or perceived opponents of the regime. Gervais Ndirakobuca was announced as security minister. Ndirakobuca is, according to the Mail and Guardian, "the most internationally sanctioned member of Ndayishimiye’s government." "The European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Switzerland sanctioned Ndirakobuca for serious human rights violations during the bloody repression of the popular movement that protested against Nkurunziza’s quest for a controversial third term as president." 

During an oral briefing in Geneva, the Commission of Inquiry warned that many “risk factors” are present in Burundi.  "The international community," said the COI’s chairperson, Doudou Diène, "must remain vigilant and mobilized to encourage action that addresses the root causes of human rights violations.”

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi presented its new report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The report documented cases of summary executions, arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual violence. The COI “still has reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity” including “rape and other forms of sexual violence” are being committed in Burundi. The perpetrators “continue to enjoy nearly total impunity,” the report said.

The Human Rights Council passed a resolution renewing the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi for another year. The vote was 24 in favor, 6 against, and 17 abstentions.

The Burundian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation announced the official “closure and liquidation” of the UN Office of the Special Envoy in Burundi, effective 31 December 2020.

The UN Security Council announced that it had removed Burundi from its agenda, citing “improved security in the country” and “broadly peaceful elections.” Francoise Hampson, a member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, called out the Council for its failure of “political will” in choosing to ignore Burundi, which had been the subject of Security Council meetings every three months, as stipulated by Resolution 2303 (2016).