A “climate of fear” exists “everywhere” in Burundi ahead of elections in 2020, that’s from UN-appointed rights investigators on Wednesday, 4 September 2019 highlighting killings, arbitrary arrests and the torture of political opponents of the Government.

Unveiling its third report, the Commission of inquiry on Burundi alleged that serious rights violations— “including crimes against humanity”—have continued to take place in the Great Lakes State since May last year—its latest investigating period.

Speaking in Geneva, panel expert Françoise Hampson insisted that youth activists known as “Imbonerakure” who are linked to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s ruling party, were responsible for much of the abuse: “They are present everywhere, and they are able to intimidate, terrify”, she noted.  

In their report, the investigators also compared the situation in Burundi with the UN’s framework of analysis for atrocity crimes and found that eight common risk factors for criminal atrocities were present.