The United Nations Human Rights Council is being urged to maintain its close attention to the human rights situation in Burundi. Forty human rights organisations have written to representatives of member and observer states, calling for the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi.
The appeal, made public on August 24, 2026, comes amid concerns that several serious human rights issues remain unresolved in the country.
The organisations point to reports of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, extrajudicial killings and ill-treatment of detainees.
Conditions in Burundi’s prisons are also highlighted as a major concern. According to the organisations, overcrowding remains a problem, while some detention facilities face shortages of water and food and inadequate sanitary conditions. They also report cases in which people may have remained in detention despite having completed their sentences or obtained release orders.
The fate of missing persons is another issue raised in the appeal. The organisations cite alleged abductions and, in some cases, point to the alleged involvement of members of the security forces, the National Intelligence Service and the Imbonerakure.
They also express concern over what they describe as a shrinking civic space. Journalists, human rights defenders, anti-corruption activists and other critical voices are said to continue facing pressure, intimidation and restrictions.
The political environment is another source of concern, with the 2027 presidential election less than a year away. According to the signatories, the 2025 elections further strengthened the CNDD-FDD’s control over state institutions while narrowing the space available to opposition groups and those seeking to engage in peaceful dissent.
The letter also draws attention to Burundi’s economic and social difficulties. The organisations cite shortages of fuel, foreign currency, fertiliser and basic commodities, alongside a rising cost of living. They also raise concerns about challenges affecting the health and education sectors, including the departure of doctors and teachers.
The return of Burundian refugees from Tanzania is another issue highlighted in the letter. The organisations allege that some returns took place under coercive circumstances and that some returnees subsequently faced security concerns or the confiscation of their property.
Against this backdrop, the 40 organisations are calling on the Human Rights Council to renew the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, maintain regular monitoring of the situation and ensure that the mandate holder can access Burundi to investigate and document alleged violations. They are also urging the Burundian authorities to strengthen cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms and calling for the reopening of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country.
For the signatories, the international community should continue to closely monitor developments in Burundi until tangible and lasting progress is achieved in the areas of human rights, justice, governance and the fight against impunity.
The 40 signatories are: Abacu bari he? (“Where are our people?”), ACAT-Burundi, AfricanDefenders (Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network), ASD-INKINGI, Association panafricaine pour la protection des droits humains et des personnes détenues (A.PRO.D.H), Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P), Centre pour le renforcement de l’éducation et du développement de la jeunesse (CREDEJ), CIVICUS, CNCD-11.11.11, Coalition burkinabè des défenseurs des droits humains (CBDDH), Coalition burundaise pour la Cour pénale internationale (CB-CPI), Coalition burundaise des défenseurs des droits de l’homme (CBDDH), Coalition pour la défense des droits humains / vivant dans les camps de réfugiés (CDH/VICAR), Collectif des avocats pour la défense des victimes de crimes de droit international au Burundi (CAVIB), International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), DefendDefenders, Ensemble pour le soutien des défenseurs des droits humains en danger (ESDDH), EurAc, International Federation of ACAT (FIACAT), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Fondation Rester debout pour la paix (FOREDEPA), Forum pour la conscience et le développement (FOCODE), Forum pour le renforcement de la société civile (FORSC), Human Rights Watch, Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights, King Umurundi Freedom (KUF-ASBL), Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, Light For All, Ligue Iteka, Mouvement des femmes et filles pour la paix et la sécurité (MFFPS), Mouvement INAMAHORO, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Pax Christi International, Refugee Rights Action Organization (RRAO), Réseau des citoyens probes (RCP), Réseau des défenseurs des droits humains en Afrique centrale (REDHAC), West African Human Rights Defenders Network (ROADDH), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), SOS-Torture/Burundi and Tournons la Page Burundi.
