urundi's
new transitional government must not waste an historic opportunity to end the
blight of torture and impunity, "Amnesty International said as it made
public a Memorandum addressed to Burundi's transitional authorities and the
international community. The Memorandum, An opportunity to confront
torture and impunity, was submitted to the new authorities in late December.
Despite the ongoing human rights crisis, the transitional government has yet to
give any clear sign that it will make tackling these and other human rights
issues a priority.
The transitional government has yet to give any clear sign that it will make tackling these and other human rights issues a priority.
Torture and ill-treatment in security force custody continue to devastate the lives of hundreds of ordinary Burundian people. Despite the recent political changes, Amnesty International continues to receive reports of torture at an alarming rate. The problem is underpinned by a culture of impunity, encouraged by decades of government refusal to meaningfully investigate and prosecute those responsible for gross human rights violations.
Amnesty International's Memorandum underlines the importance of investigating human rights abuses carried out during the transitional period, bringing the perpetrators to justice and providing victims with redress. The Transitional Government should end incommunicado detention; introduce a full right to appeal, and reform of the legal system so as to ensure that members of the security forces accused of human rights violations are tried before civilian rather than military courts.
(From Amnesty International)