# Burundi - United States Department of State

- Burundi HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Burundi				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Burundi																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																			Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																																								Freedom of Association																																																																																																																		c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																											f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)																																																																											g. Stateless Persons																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Indigenous Peoples																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																											Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Burundi in the past year.Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings; enforced disappearance; torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by or on behalf of the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; political prisoners or detainees; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for alleged offenses by a relative; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, censorship, and the use of criminal libel laws to limit expression; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including overly restrictive laws on the organization, funding, or operation of nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations; restrictions on freedom of movement and residence; serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation; serious government corruption; serious government restrictions on or harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations; extensive gender-based violence, including but not limited to domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child, early and forced marriage, and other forms of such violence; laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults that were enforced; crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons; and significant restrictions on workers’ freedom of association.The government did not take significant credible steps to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials and members of the ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy, who may have committed human rights abuses. Observers, however, continued to report intimidation and violence by members of state security forces and their proxies throughout the year. Impunity for government and ruling party officials and for their supporters and proxies remained a problem.Some members of the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the ruling party, were involved in or responsible for human rights abuses. Although they had no official arrest authority, they routinely assumed the role of state security agents and detained and turned over individuals to the official security services, in some cases after committing human rights abuses. The government investigated and prosecuted some alleged abuses by the Imbonerakure, although it did not do so consistently.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were numerous reports that the government or its agents, including police, the National Intelligence Service (SNR), and elements of the Imbonerakure, committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, often against perceived supporters of opposition parties or those who exercised their lawful rights. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) Ligue Iteka, which was banned in 2017, continued operating from outside the country and documented 284 killings by the end of August, as compared with 232 the previous year. Ligue Iteka and other human rights groups differed on the number of killings for which agents of the state or ruling party were likely responsible. The government’s restrictions on UN human rights monitors and NGOs and refusal to allow international human rights bodies authorization to enter the country made it difficult to determine responsibility for arbitrary killings or exact statistics. Security risks for local activists, witnesses, and victims also posed obstacles. Some investigations and prosecutions of government officials and members of the ruling party who allegedly committed arbitrary or unlawful killings occurred.Media reported bodies bearing signs of violence were found in public places. Local authorities often buried them even if they were unable to identify the deceased and without investigating the cause of death and possible perpetrators, citing health risks to the local population due to a lack of mortuary facilities or ability to preserve the bodies. This made it more difficult for human rights organizations to document and differentiate between cases of human rights abuses and cases constituting ordinary criminal offenses. International human rights groups reported bodies continued to be discovered regularly in different parts of the country, especially in Cibitoke Province, which borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to Ligue Iteka, 92 bodies were found in Cibitoke between January and August, down from 113 the previous year. In addition, human rights organizations reported numerous cases of disappearances, and it was difficult to determine how many of these were cases of enforced disappearance or killings by or on behalf of the government. Some victims were found dead a few days after their disappearances with injuries indicating they had been executed.On June 5, the NGO Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT-Burundi), which was banned in the country in 2017, reported that a group of Imbonerakure beat and killed Salvator Mboneye, a member of the main opposition party, the National Congress for Freedom (CNL), in Ruharo Commune, Rutana Province. The report indicated that the group accused Salvator of stealing beans from a National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) member’s farm. One of the alleged perpetrators was arrested but then released the following day without any charges.																																				b. Disappearance										There were numerous reports that individuals were victims of politically motivated disappearances after they were detained by elements of the security forces or after kidnappings where the identities of the perpetrators were not clear.The NGOs Ligue Iteka, Forum for Awareness and Development (FOCODE), and SOS Torture Burundi reported disappearances, which were sometimes later determined to be killings when victims’ bodies were discovered. A victim’s last sighting was often at the time of abduction by the Imbonerakure, police, or the SNR. NGOs and media reported persons suspected of collaborating with armed rebel groups, members of the CNL, and former members of the army were victims of enforced disappearances. As of August 30, Ligue Iteka documented 16 cases of disappearances, compared with 56 in the previous year. It linked one disappearance to the Imbonerakure, two to police, four to the SNR, two to local administrators, and seven to unidentified actors. In its August report, FOCODE reported statistics likely considerably underreported the true number of disappearances, as many victims’ families were either unaware of the victim’s disappearance or remained silent due to fear of reprisal.According to international and local human rights organizations, the SNR, security forces, and the Imbonerakure forcibly disappeared real or perceived political opponents. In addition, media reported cases of the Imbonerakure and other members of the ruling party being punished for refusing to participate in the party’s activities. According to FOCODE, some of the missing persons later reappeared. This usually occurred in cases where relatives alerted NGOs of their disappearance. Other missing persons were found in prisons, awaiting trial.In July, during the review of the human rights situation in Burundi in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Committee noted the government’s efforts to reduce enforced disappearances and arbitrary executions. The Human Rights Committee expressed concern, however, regarding impunity for alleged perpetrators, which was perceived as creating fear among the general populace.On May 23, FOCODE reported individuals in Police’s Anti-Riot Brigade uniforms kidnapped Phocas Niyubuntu, one of the CNL representatives in Bururi Province. Niyubuntu’s family was unable to locate him, and as of September, his whereabouts were unknown.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The constitution and law prohibited cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, but there were numerous reports government officials employed these practices. NGOs and media reported cases of abuse they described as torture committed by security services or members of the Imbonerakure. As of August 31, Ligue Iteka reported 25 such cases, down from 38 the previous year, attributing 19 to members of the Imbonerakure, two to police, and four to the SNR. Human rights organizations reported numerous cases of torture against detainees at SNR headquarters in Bujumbura, as well as in unofficial detention centers in Bujumbura and other provinces. According to human rights organizations and media reports, the SNR tortured their victims to extract confessions or other information, or to compel them to incriminate or denounce others. The UN Committee Against Torture reported authorities had not opened investigations into any cases referred to the committee since 2017.There were some reports of investigations and prosecutions for serious abuses of human rights, although limited enforcement meant impunity in the security forces, including the Imbonerakure, the SNR, and police remained a problem. Media and human rights organizations reported local administrators and CNDD-FDD members being held accountable before the justice system. Furthermore, CNDD-FDD leadership reportedly instructed the Imbonerakure to take responsibility for their own criminal actions, indicating the party would not protect them. Impunity remained, however, and even though the government touted accountability as its priority, it was only selectively applied.Media reported the arrest of Imbonerakure member Claude Niyonzima in Bubanza Province on October 31, on charges of attempted murder. Media sources indicated that Niyonzima threatened to pull the pin out of a grenade in order to kill a group of individuals with whom he was in conflict; Niyonzima claimed he was “untouchable” given his position as a province-level leader of the Imbonerakure. The local administrator ordered Niyonzima’s arrest. As of December, he was detained in solitary confinement at the Bubanza police station.Ligue Iteka reported that Imbonerakure members beat and tortured five members of the CNL in Ngozi commune on April 5. The report indicated the group of Imbonerakure acted on the orders of Ngozi commune local administrator Joseph Martin Bucumi.There were reports that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community were threatened, beaten, and arrested by local administrators and other citizens with the support of security forces.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening due to gross overcrowding, inadequate sanitary conditions, and physical abuse among fellow prisoners. There were reports of lack of adequate medical treatment and prolonged solitary confinement in prisons and detention centers. Conditions in detention centers managed by the SNR and in communal jails managed by police generally were worse than in prisons.Abusive Physical Conditions: Gross overcrowding was a severe problem in eight of 11 prisons. The Ministry of Justice’s Office of Penitentiary Affairs reported that, as of August, there were 12,214 inmates, including 5,796 pretrial detainees, held in 11 prisons and two juvenile rehabilitation facilities, the majority of which were built before 1965, with a designed capacity of 4,294 inmates.Prisons did not have adequate sanitation systems (toilets and bathing facilities), drinking water, ventilation, or lighting, and these conditions were especially acute in the Muramvya and Mpimba prisons. According to government officials and international human rights observers, many prisoners suffered from intestinal illnesses and malaria. Medical care was primarily limited to analgesics and other basic medications. There were reports of shortages of medicines in prison clinics. Each prison was required to employ at least one qualified nurse and received at least one weekly visit by a doctor, but prisoners did not always receive prompt access to medical care. Inmates with serious medical conditions were sent to local hospitals. NGO ACAT-Burundi reported that prisoners, particularly those held on politically motivated charges, had difficulty obtaining permission to seek treatment in hospitals outside the prisons, and those who did were discharged before they had fully recovered.For example, media reported that on August 24, Mevain Shurweryimana passed away as a result of inadequate medical care while in detention following his February 22 arrest on charges of homosexuality and incitement to debauchery. Prosecutor Félicité Nishemezwe denied doctors’ urgent requests to transfer him to a specialist in Bujumbura as early as August 9. Despite being acquitted on August 22, Shurweryimana remained in custody even after falling into a coma on August 23. He died the next morning.Each inmate received daily rations of approximately 12 ounces of cassava, 12 ounces of beans, and, on some days, oil and salt. Authorities expected family and friends to provide any additional food as well as some costs associated with medical care. ACAT-Burundi and other organizations reported recurring food shortages in prisons.Media and several other organizations also reported prisoner-run bodies harassed, tortured, and in some instances killed prisoners held on politically motivated charges, with the support or under the orders of the prisons’ administration.Administration: Prison authorities allowed prisoners to submit complaints to judicial authorities without censorship, but authorities rarely investigated the complaints. Anonymous complaints passed to authorities by independent monitors were sometimes addressed. There were reports of mistreatment of prisoners, such as physical abuse and long stays in solitary confinement, but no record that any abusers were held to account or punished.Independent Monitoring: The government permitted monitoring by some independent nongovernmental observers to most prisoners but prevented access in some cases to potential political prisoners.The government permitted visits requested by the quasi-governmental National Independent Commission on Human Rights (CNIDH). Monitors visited prisons, communal jails, and known SNR detention centers regularly. Several organizations also reported the SNR maintained clandestine detention facilities to which no independent monitors were granted access. Authorities generally provided the CNIDH unhindered access to prisoners held in official detention facilities, including those considered to be political prisoners. The International Committee of the Red Cross, however, which had previously been granted unfettered access to prisons and detention centers, suspended its monitoring operations and all detention-related activities, due to problems in implementing its standard procedures.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution and law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of persons to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest and detention, but the government did not observe these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						Arrests required warrants issued by a presiding magistrate, although police were able to arrest a person without a warrant by notifying a police supervisor in advance. Police had seven days to finish an investigation and present evidence before a magistrate but could request a seven-day extension for additional investigation. Police often did not respect these provisions.According to the law, a magistrate had to either order the release of suspects or confirm the evidence was sufficient for continued detention, initially for 14 days, and then for an additional seven days if required to prepare a case for trial. Magistrates routinely failed to convene preliminary hearings, often citing heavy case backlogs or improper documentation by police. Authorities acknowledged the legal system struggled to process cases in a timely fashion and that lengthy pretrial detentions were common.Lack of transportation for suspects, police, and magistrates was a frequently cited reason for the failure to convene preliminary hearings. This remained a problem in the eight provinces without prisons, where lack of transport prevented the transfer of suspects from the site of detention to the provincial court with jurisdiction over their cases.Judges could release suspects on bail but rarely did so. They often released suspects on their own recognizance, however. Suspects could hire lawyers at their own expense in criminal cases. The law did not require legal representation and the government did not provide attorneys for those unable to afford one. Detainees who were unable to pay for a lawyer were rarely able to access legal counsel.Some suspects were detained incommunicado. The SNR denied lawyers access to detainees held at its headquarters in Bujumbura, and there was no known access to the SNR’s clandestine detention facilities.Arbitrary Arrest: The law provided for a token fine and imprisonment for 15 days to one year for any member of the security forces found guilty of involvement in an arbitrary arrest. There were no reports this law was applied.Human rights groups reported numerous arbitrary arrests and detentions. Ligue Iteka reported authorities targeted members of the CNL and their supporters for their involvement in legitimate political activities. Media also reported arrests of individuals refusing to participate in government activities such as parades in honor of the first lady or other festivities.Pretrial Detention: Prolonged pretrial detention remained a serious problem. By law authorities could not hold a person longer than 14 days without charge. Authorities held some suspects without formal charges. According to the Office of Penitentiary Affairs, the average time in pretrial detention was approximately one year, but some individuals remained in pretrial detention for nearly five years. In some cases, the length of detention equaled or exceeded the sentence for the alleged crime. Inefficiency and corruption among police, prosecutors, and judicial officials contributed to the problem. For example, authorities deprived many persons of their legal right to be released on their own recognizance because public prosecutors failed to open case files or the files were lost.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The constitution and law provided for an independent judiciary, but the government generally did not respect judicial independence or impartiality. Serious irregularities undermined the fairness and credibility of trials, and in some instances, the outcomes of trials appeared predetermined by the government and powerful members of the ruling party. There were reports of authorities who intimidated, bribed, or influenced members of the judiciary to drop investigations and prosecutions. Prosecutors and members of the security services sometimes ignored court orders for the release of detainees after judges had determined there were no legal grounds for holding them.Media reported that on August 16, the Bururi public prosecutor ordered the arrest of three judges who presided over a high-profile case involving machete attacks in Bururi Province. During a preliminary hearing for 15 alleged perpetrators of the attacks, the panel of three judges adjourned the hearing after ruling there was insufficient evidence to hold eight of the 15 in custody; the judges noted the only evidence against the 15 was the testimony of one of the other defendants, who recanted his statement during the hearing. The defendant claimed he had been tortured in SNR custody and pressured to implicate the eight, whose names were provided to him by the SNR. Shortly after their ruling to adjourn the hearing, the three judges were arrested and charged with complicity in undermining internal security. As of September, the judges were still detained.																Trial Procedures						The law provided for the right to a fair and public trial, but the judiciary generally did not enforce this right. Panels of judges conducted all trials in public. Military trials generally were open to the public but could be closed for reasons of national security or in cases where publicity might harm the survivor or a third party, such as in cases of rape or child abuse. Defendants had the right to prompt and detailed information on the charges and free language interpretation, if needed, from the moment of being charged throughout the entirety of the appeals process, if necessary, although these rights were rarely respected. Defendants had the right to a fair trial without undue delay and to adequate time and facilities to prepare a defense, although this often did not occur. Defendants had a right to counsel but not at the government’s expense, even in cases involving serious criminal charges. Few defendants had legal representation because few could afford the services of a lawyer. Some local and international NGOs provided legal assistance to defendants. Defendants had the right not to be compelled to testify or confess guilt, although there were reports some detainees experienced torture designed to coerce testimonies. Judges reportedly used confessions obtained under torture as a basis for convicting defendants. Media reported a growing number of cases of expedited trials that raised concerns regarding their fairness, since the defendants did not have time to prepare. Such practices appeared to be particularly common in cases involving opposition party members.All defendants, except those in military courts, had the right to appeal their cases to the Supreme Court. Defendants in military courts were entitled to only one appeal. The inefficiency of the court system extended the appeals process for long periods, in many cases for more than a year.While many of the aforementioned rights were frequently not granted, no rights were systematically denied to persons from specific groups.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						No verifiable statistics were available on the number of political prisoners or detainees; estimates by human rights groups ranged in the hundreds. The government denied incarcerating persons for political reasons, citing instead acts against state security, participation in a rebellion, or inciting insurrection. Human rights groups stated that these charges were often a pretext for repressing human rights defenders and members of opposition parties. Throughout the year, there were regular arrests and detentions of members of opposition parties, mainly from CNL, but also from other parties such as the Union for National Progress party. In his September report, the UN Special Rapporteur expressed concern regarding hundreds of members of the Movement of Solidarity and Democracy and CNL who were acquitted or served their sentences but remained in detention. Others, mainly young men, were arrested or detained under suspicion of having cooperated with armed rebel groups. In many cases, political prisoners remained in prolonged pretrial detention, while other prisoners were released without explanation or, more frequently, after paying a fine. The government permitted visits requested by CNIDH, including to detainees whom human rights groups considered to be political prisoners. Monitors visited known prisons, communal jails, and known SNR detention centers regularly. CNIDH generally had complete and unhindered access to prisoners held in known detention facilities but were unable to access clandestine SNR detention sites.On February 12, the SNR arrested five human rights activists (Audace Havyarimana, Sylvana Inamahoro, Sonia Ndikumasabo, Marie Emerusabe, and Prosper Runyange) while they were attempting to travel to Kampala for a meeting with civil society organizations. In their April 27 trial, Ndikumasabo, Emerusabe, and Runyange were found not guilty of all charges while Havyarimana and Inamahoro were convicted of rebellion and given a one-year suspended sentence since their organization did not receive a prise d’acte, a document the minister of interior issues to confirm the NGO was fully registered. On May 25, the prosecutor appealed the court decision. As of December, no trial date was set. International human rights organizations also believed the arrest of the five human rights activists was retaliation for their partnership with and funding from international organizations; international observers further believed the arrests were intended to obstruct the NGOs’ work and to discourage other activists from undertaking similar activities.																										f. Transnational Repression										The government attempted to intimidate or exact reprisal against members of diaspora populations by exerting bilateral pressure on another county.Bilateral Pressure: There were reports the government for politically motivated purposes attempted to exert bilateral pressure on another country aimed at having it take adverse action against specific individuals. As a condition of normalizing bilateral relations with Rwanda, authorities demanded the extradition of individuals alleged to be responsible for the 2015 attempted coup who sought refuge in Rwanda that year.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The constitution and law provided for the right to privacy and required search warrants, but there were reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions. The law provided for warrantless searches when security services suspected acts of terrorism, fraud, trafficking in persons, illegal possession of weapons, trafficking in or consumption of drugs, or “infractions of a sexual nature.” The law required security services to provide advance notice of warrantless searches to prosecutorial officials but did not require prosecutors’ approval. Police, SNR agents, and Imbonerakure members – sometimes acting as mixed security committees – set up roadblocks and conducted general vehicle inspections and searches. Members of the security forces also sought bribes in many instances, either during searches or in lieu of a search. They conducted search-and-seizure operations throughout the year without judicial or other appropriate authorization.Media and human rights organizations reported police arrested and threatened family members of suspects they were unable to find to arrest.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution and law provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, but prohibited certain types of expression. Restrictions imposed in 2015 generally continued and were applied to all press outlets.Freedom of Expression: The law prohibited “defamatory” speech regarding the president and other senior officials, material deemed to endanger national security, and racially or ethnically motivated hate speech. It was illegal for anyone to display drawings, posters, photographs, or other items that might “disturb the public peace.” Penalties for disturbing the public peace ranged from two months’ to three years’ imprisonment, as well as fines.Many members of the Imbonerakure collaborated with government security forces to inhibit freedom of expression. In some cases, they were official members of mixed security councils, which consisted of police, local administration officials, and civilians.Violence and Harassment: Journalists reported harassment and intimidation by the security services and government officials designed to prevent them from doing their work independently or covering sensitive topics. Some journalists were required to obtain permission from authorities prior to conducting domestic, and in some cases international, travel. Forces allied to the CNDD-FDD repressed media perceived as sympathetic to opposition parties, including print and radio journalists, through harassment, intimidation, and violence. Most independent journalists fled the country during and after the political crisis and crackdown in 2015, and some remained in exile as of the end of the year. The government detained or summoned for questioning local journalists investigating subjects such as human rights abuses, corruption, or security incidents.In July, Minister of Interior Martin Niteretse prevented journalists from reporting on a meeting he had with provincial governors and police officers. According to media reports, during the meeting, Niteretse angrily made allegations regarding governors’ involvement in corruption and other crimes. To avoid publication of his comments, Niteretse ordered journalists to leave the room, instructing them to delete all recordings and not to publish anything from that session. The Ministry of Interior’s spokesperson made a list of all the invited journalists and their respective outlets. Journalists believed the list would be used to carry out reprisals, should anything from the meeting be published.Censorship or Content Restrictions for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media: The government censored media content through restrictive press regulations established by the National Communications Council (CNC), an organization nominally independent but subject to political control and widely regarded as a tool of the executive branch. CNC decrees required that all journalists register annually with the body, limited the access granted to international journalists, and established content restrictions on the products disseminated by outlets. The CNC continued to monitor the press closely. The CNC regulated both print and broadcast media, controlled journalists’ accreditation, and enforced compliance with media laws. The president appointed all 15 CNC members, who were mainly government representatives and journalists from the state broadcaster.There were reports that journalists were required to obtain permission from local administrations and in some instances gain clearance in order to release their articles. Broadly interpreted laws against libel, hate speech, endangering state security, and treason also fostered self-censorship, including by journalists working for the national broadcaster. Observers reported most journalists working in the country exercised a degree of self-censorship or declined to cover topics labelled as sensitive, including high-level corruption, human rights abuses by government security forces or the Imbonerakure, and other subjects seen as critical of the government.Several journalists stated they were generally freer in their reporting online, particularly when posting in French or English rather than in local languages, than they were via radio and other media more closely controlled by the government. Two radio stations closed in 2015 continued to broadcast radio segments abroad and publish articles online.Libel/Slander Laws: The law protected public servants and the president against “words, gestures, threats, or writing of any kind” that was “abusive or defamatory” or would “impair the dignity of or respect for their office.” The law prohibited the public distribution of information that exposed a person to “public contempt” and provided penalties of imprisonment and fines for violations. The penalty for being convicted of insulting the head of state was six months to five years in prison and a token fine. Some journalists and leaders of political parties and civil society stated that the government used the law to intimidate and harass them. Former Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni was arrested in April on charges of tarnishing the reputation of heads of state, as well as other charges. On December 8, he was convicted on all charges and sentenced to life in prison.On August 16, media reported police arrested Léonidas Birizanye, permanent secretary to the communal administrator of Ntega Commune in Kirundo Province, for posting President Ndayishimiye’s message about “lazy leaders” hindering the development of the country on social media. In an expedited trial held on August 24, the prosecutor charged Birizanye with defamation and requested a five-year prison sentence. He was released in September; however, as of December, the court had announced no ruling in the case.National Security: The law required journalists to reveal sources in some circumstances and prohibited the publication of articles deemed to undermine national security. Conviction of treason, which included knowingly demoralizing the military or the country in a manner that endangered national defense during a time of war, carried a penalty of life imprisonment. It was a crime for anyone knowingly to disseminate or publicize rumors likely to alarm or excite the public against the government or to promote civil war.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content except for the website of media outlet Radio Publique Africaine. Direct access to Radio Publique Africaine’s website from within the country remained blocked; readers were able to access the website from abroad or by using a virtual private network.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The government limited freedoms of peaceful assembly and association.																Freedom of Peaceful Assembly						The constitution and law provided for freedom of peaceful assembly, but the government did not always respect these rights. The law required political parties and large groups to notify the government in advance of a public meeting and at least four days prior to a proposed demonstration. There were reports that opposition parties, primarily the CNL, were prevented from organizing activities, including anniversary celebrations, meetings, and other public gatherings.						Freedom of Association						The constitution provided for freedom of association within the confines of the law, but the government severely restricted this right.A law required that international NGOs deposit a portion of their country budgets at the Bank of the Republic of Burundi and that they develop and implement plans to attain ethnic and gender balances in the recruitment of local personnel. The law contained several clauses giving the government considerable control regarding NGOs’ recruitment and programming. A special commission set up by the Senate in 2021 investigated the ethnic makeup of international NGOs and state-owned enterprises, a practice the government indicated was required by the constitution. Some ministries pressured international NGOs during the year to provide information on the ethnicity and identity of international NGO employees. Some international NGOs expressed concern that the ministries’ intent was to exert control over hiring decisions or otherwise inappropriately influence international NGO operations. The law required NGOs to register with the Ministry of the Interior (or with provincial governments if they operated in a single province), a complex process that included approval of an organization’s activities from the Ministry of the Interior and other ministries, depending on the NGO’s areas of expertise. The government required registration to be renewed every two years, and there was no recourse when authorities denied registration. The law provided for the suspension or permanent closure of organizations for “disturbing public order or harming state security.”In a note dated January 30, Minister of Interior Niteretse provided new guidance to governors, ordering them to compel partners (mostly foreign diplomatic missions and NGOs) to submit their plans to relevant ministries for approval before any training could be provided. The new policy also required foreign partners to gain authorization from governors before traveling to their respective provinces. This requirement contradicted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ policy, which stipulated that foreign missions only needed to notify the ministry prior to travel.																										c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The constitution and law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, but the government often restricted these related rights.In-country Movement: According to several news sources, the government enforced the use of household logbooks, cahier or livret de menage, which listed the residents and domestic workers of each household in some neighborhoods of the capital. In numerous instances, police arrested persons during neighborhood searches for not being registered in household booklets. Local governments established checkpoints on roads throughout the country on a widespread basis, officially for the collection of transit taxes on drivers and passengers. The checkpoints were often staffed by police or members of the Imbonerakure. Checkpoints were also established purportedly for security purposes. There were frequent allegations that those staffing the checkpoints sought bribes before allowing vehicles to proceed. In some instances, members of the Imbonerakure were accused of using the checkpoints to deny free movement to individuals for political reasons, such as failing to demonstrate proof of financial contributions to the ruling party’s offices and activities.Foreign Travel: In response to trafficking-in-persons concerns, the General Immigration Authority, responsible for border security and issuing travel documents, exercised increased caution before granting travel documents to target demographic groups perceived as likely targets for trafficking; these included young women and unaccompanied children. These restrictions, however, could have led to increased travel via irregular channels, creating heightened vulnerability to trafficking.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government generally cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum: The law provided for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government had a system for providing protection to refugees. The country during the year had five refugee camps. The government identified and loaned land to UNHCR for a sixth camp, to be constructed in Rutana Province.Freedom of Movement: Although the law permitted refugees freedom of movement, refugees living in camps were required to obtain exit permits from the National Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons in the Ministry of Interior to travel beyond their host communes. Instances of authorities refusing or limiting exit permits due to security concerns regarding collaboration between refugees and rebel groups in the DRC declined throughout the year; furthermore, the government also began more readily granting exit permits, and ceased requiring police escorts for refugees travelling to Bujumbura for resettlement interviews. There were, however, reports by refugees of favoritism regarding who received exit permits and who did not; there were also reports of refugees being briefly arrested and then returned to the camps for leaving without an exit permit.Employment: The law granted refugees the right to work. There were reports the government imposed restrictions on refugees’ ability to work after their status as refugees was official. Refugees who secured employment outside of camps did not have labor protections on par with Burundian citizens. UNHCR and others implemented some livelihood programs, such as cooperative-led sustainable year-round gardens, mushroom growing, and small-scale soap making, and encouraged refugees to initiate income-generating activities. Additionally, UNHCR worked with the World Bank to implement several programs to help refugees launch small businesses within the camps.Durable Solutions: Continuing violence in the DRC prevented Congolese refugees from returning. Efforts begun in 2015 to resettle Congolese refugees in third countries continued.																																				f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)										The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated there were 76,987 internally displaced persons in the country as of May, of whom 54 percent were children. According to the IOM, 89 percent of IDPs were displaced due to natural disasters. Some IDPs reported believing themselves to be threatened because of their perceived political sympathies. Some IDPs returned to their homes, but the majority remained in IDP sites or relocated to urban centers. The government generally permitted IDPs at identified sites to be included in programs provided by UNHCR, the IOM, and other humanitarian organizations, such as shelter, education, and legal assistance programs, and promoted their reintegration.During the year, media reported cases of local officials forcing IDPs to leave their sites in Ruhororo Commune, Ngozi Province. According to media sources, local officials accused IDPs of causing insecurity in the region.																																				g. Stateless Persons										According to UNHCR, an estimated 800 persons at risk of statelessness lived in the country. All had lived in the country for decades, originally arriving from Oman, and were awaiting proof of citizenship from the government of Oman. Most of those who remained at risk of statelessness had refused an offer of Burundian citizenship from the government if they could not get Omani citizenship. Stateless persons faced limited freedom of movement because they were ineligible for driver’s licenses and passports.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The law provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage, but the government did not respect the law.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections: National elections were widely reported to not be fair and free of abuses and irregularities.The 2020 presidential, legislative, and communal elections were deeply flawed with irregularities that undermined the credibility of the process, including blocking independent observers. The National Independent Elections Commission imposed restrictive conditions, such as limiting movement of locally based foreign observers and rejecting African Union and UN observers. According to the 2020 UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, opposition parties cited irregularities during the vote tabulation process, including the expulsion of accredited party-affiliated monitors from voting stations. The international community and independent domestic organizations widely condemned the process as flawed. The CNL rejected the results of the election and filed an appeal, which the Constitutional Court dismissed.The COI stated that opposition parties and their members, mainly the CNL, suffered serious human rights abuses in the period preceding elections. There were reports of targeted killings, kidnappings, gender-based violence, torture, and arbitrary arrests. Media remained under strict control, and journalists were unable to carry out their duties freely.Political Parties and Political Participation: According to the law, to qualify for public campaign funding and compete in the parliamentary and presidential elections, parties needed to be “nationally based,” (i.e., ethnically and regionally diverse) and prove in writing they were organized and had membership in all provinces. The Ministry of the Interior recognized 39 political parties.Media and human rights organizations reported abuses including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture against opposition parties and political opponents, mainly CNL members, by the Imbonerakure and unidentified armed men in retaliation for political engagement and alleged involvement in armed rebel groups. Media reported the CNL was prevented from holding meetings and other activities, and their offices were ransacked or destroyed by WHO.The constitution included restrictions on independent candidates, including a measure that prevented individuals from running as independents if they had claimed membership in a political party within the previous year or if they had occupied a leadership position in a political party within the previous two years. The constitution also provided that independent candidates for the National Assembly had to receive at least 40 percent of the vote in their district to be elected, a standard that did not apply to candidates representing political parties. The constitution’s ban on coalitions for independents further constrained the options for unrecognized parties.Individuals often needed membership in, or perceived loyalty to, the CNDD-FDD to obtain or retain employment in the civil service and the benefits that accrued from such positions, including transportation allowances; free housing, electricity, and water; exemption from personal income taxes; and interest-free loans. Media and human rights organizations reported individuals were forced to make bribes – often with no legal basis – to support the CNDD-FDD on penalty of being denied access to public services and spaces or the issuance of administrative documents. There were reports election observers aligned with opposition parties were not allowed full access to monitor elections.On June 6, Minister of Interior Niteretse suspended all CNL political activities, including party meetings, citing a long-standing internal conflict within the CNL’s party leadership that Niteretse claimed could lead to violence. Prior to that, he canceled two party congresses on the same grounds before eventually allowing each to be rescheduled after concessions were made. As of December, all CNL activities remained suspended in all provinces.Participation of Women and Members of Marginalized or Vulnerable Groups: Women were not well represented in political parties. Some observers believed that tradition and cultural factors, primarily cultural perceptions that women politicians were neglectful of their families and sexually promiscuous with their male counterparts, discouraged women from participating in politics on an equal basis with men.The constitution provided for representation in all elected and appointed government positions for the two largest ethnic groups. The Hutu majority was entitled to no more than 60 percent of government positions and the Tutsi minority to no less than 40 percent; however, a Ligue Iteka report published in August indicated the ethnic quota was not respected in many public institutions. The law designated three seats in each chamber of parliament for the indigenous Twa, who made up approximately 1 percent of the population.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided criminal penalties for official corruption, but the government did not implement the law effectively. There were numerous reports of government corruption during the year.Corruption: The public widely viewed police to be corrupt, and petty corruption involving police was commonplace. There were numerous allegations of corruption in the government, including incidents related to the lack of transparency of budget revenue involving gasoline importation; trading in influence and abuse of office or power; mismanagement of public tenders and contracts, including in the health and mining sectors; misappropriation of public funds; customs fraud; and the appropriation of the country’s limited foreign currency reserves to finance imports. In its April report, the anti-corruption watchdog OLUCOME (Observatory for the Fight Against Corruption and Economic Embezzlement) pointed out that anti-corruption activists faced numerous challenges which impacted the fight against corruption in the country. According to OLUCOME, the hostile political environment, government interference in NGO activities, intimidation, and harassment of activists prompted NGOs to reduce or shut down activities, while others chose to shift to less dangerous sectors.Authorities undertook anti-corruption initiatives, including dismissing, arresting, and in some instances prosecuting local officials and CNDD-FDD members involved in corruption and related activities. The Ministry of Interior was charged with leading anti-corruption efforts as part of President Ndayishimiye’s anti-corruption campaign. The ministry continued a “zero tolerance toward corruption” campaign and kept suggestion boxes in all commune offices and government ministries to allow the population to report corrupt activities. The minister of interior also maintained a toll-free telephone number to allow citizens to report corruption and malpractice.In April, former Prime Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni was arrested on charges of undermining the internal security of the country, damaging the national economy, and abuse of power for improper interests, among other charges. On December 8, Bunyoni was convicted on all charges and sentenced to life in prison, as well as seizure of his assets by the state.For additional information about corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country, and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						Domestic and international human rights groups struggled to operate in the face of governmental restrictions, harassment, and repression, and government officials were rarely cooperative or responsive to their views (see also section 2.b, Freedom of Association).Numerous NGOs, especially those that focused on human rights, were banned or suspended during 2015-17. Some of the international NGOs requested reinstatement since that time; those who requested it were reinstated. President Ndayishimiye invited all citizens in exile to return to the country, but as of September no local organization had applied for reinstatement. Ligue Iteka and other organizations continued to monitor the human rights situation from abroad. Members of both recognized and unrecognized organizations reported being subjected to harassment and intimidation and took measures to protect the identities of their employees and sources. Some international human rights NGOs reported requesting authorities allow them to visit the country, but authorities failed to respond to their inquiries.Retribution against Human Rights Defenders: Media and other organizations reported human rights defenders who remained in the country were subjected to threats, intimidation, and arrest. On March 30, police attempted to stop the launch of an OLUCOME workshop held on recovery of embezzled public funds even though OLUCOME had all necessary authorizations. OLUCOME’s president contacted government officials and a few hours later, the event was allowed to take place. Journalists were instructed not to publish any photographs or videos concerning the incident.The United Nations or Other International Bodies: The government generally barred UN or other international bodies focused on human rights access to the country and refused to cooperate with such mechanisms.In October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution approving a special rapporteur to replace the COI as the mechanism for monitoring and reporting on human rights in the country. Authorities refused to cooperate with the special rapporteur, including providing access to the country. Having not been allowed to visit the country, the special rapporteur relied on secondhand information. In July, the country’s ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council reiterated that, “Burundi does not recognize the special rapporteur mandate considering that it was put in place by a manipulated Council for unknown objectives.”Government Human Rights Bodies: Parties to the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement of 2000 committed to the establishment of an international criminal tribunal, which had yet to be implemented, and a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was adopted into law in 2014. The TRC gathered testimony and conducted outreach activities under its mandate to investigate and establish the truth regarding serious human rights and international humanitarian law abuses committed in the country. The TRC was also mandated to establish the responsibilities of state institutions, individuals, and private groups.NGOs and opposition party figures raised concerns that the TRC was deliberately focusing on the events of 1972 to favor a historical narrative advanced by many of the Hutu ethnic group. NGOs also raised concerns that in view of continued human rights abuses, political tensions, a climate of fear and intimidation, fears of retribution for testimony, and restrictions on freedom of expression, conditions were not conducive for an impartial or effective transitional justice process. NGOs cited concerns that the participation of ruling party members in deposition-gathering teams could reduce the willingness of some citizens to testify or share fully their stories. NGOs indicated some of the TRC commissioners represented the interests of the ruling party and were not impartial, and that a lack of qualified experts adversely affected the TRC’s ability to operate. During the year, the TRC launched a new series of investigations into human rights abuses that occurred during 1972, although it already presented its full report to the National Assembly and Senate in 2021.The Office of the Ombudsman had a mandate to investigate complaints regarding human rights abuses committed by civil servants, the judiciary, local authorities, public institutions, and any other public entities. The office was also focused on the establishment of community mediation and conflict prevention mechanisms.The CNIDH, a nominally independent governmental body charged with investigating human rights abuses, exercised its power to summon senior officials, request information, and order corrective action. In February the CNIDH released its annual report to the National Assembly, highlighting what it termed significant progress in the human rights situation and satisfactory political climate. The report noted President Ndayishimiye’s initiatives to prosecute and punish criminals, and promotion of peaceful cohabitation between political parties. The commission’s report also praised the government’s efforts in voluntary repatriation and social reintegration of former refugees. The report noted 16 documented cases of abuses of the right to life, seven allegations of enforced disappearance, four cases of torture, 76 cases of arbitrary detention, and 44 cases relating to violations of due process, fewer than those reported by NGOs.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence: The law prohibited rape against women and men, including spousal rape, with penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment. The law prohibited domestic abuse of a spouse, with punishment ranging from fines to three to five years’ imprisonment. The government did not enforce the law uniformly, and rape and other domestic and sexual violence were serious problems. Media reported high levels cases of domestic violence culminating in killings, as well as many cases of rape in schools.The National Police’s Unit for the Protection of Minors and Morals was responsible for investigating cases of sexual violence and rape as well as those involving the trafficking of girls and women. The government-operated Humura Center in Gitega and integrated centers in Makamba, Muyinga, and Cibitoke Provinces provided a full range of services, including legal, medical, and psychosocial services, to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.Other Forms of Gender-based Violence or Harassment: The law prohibited sexual harassment, including the use of threats of physical violence or psychological pressure to obtain sexual favors. The government did not actively enforce the law. There were reports of sexual harassment but no data available on its frequency or extent and no evidence of arrests made under sexual harassment laws.Discrimination: The law provided for equal status for women and men, including under family, labor, property, and nationality. Women faced legal, economic, and societal discrimination, including regarding inheritance and marital property laws. Traditional practices controlled distribution of assets in favor of men and boys. A woman did not inherit her father’s land and was expected to work on and benefit from the land of her husband.By law women were to receive the same pay as men for the same work, but the government did not effectively enforce the law. Some employers suspended the salaries of women on maternity leave, and others refused medical coverage to married women employees. The government did not enforce antidiscrimination laws effectively.The law required unmarried couples who cohabited to legalize their relationships through church or state registrations.Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.The government provided free prenatal and postpartum services. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 29 percent. Health clinics and NGOs freely disseminated information on family planning under the guidance of the Ministry of Public Health. Faith-based clinics promoted the use of traditional family planning methods. Men often made the final decisions regarding family planning.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services including emergency contraception for survivors of sexual violence.The 2016-2017 Demographic and Health Survey estimated the maternal mortality rate at 548 per 100,000 live births. According to the Ministry of Health, severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, complications during delivery, and unsafe abortions were the leading causes of maternal mortality. Other causes included effects from disease, such as malaria, or were related to chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Mothers and pregnant women suffered from lack of access to adequate medical care, particularly in rural areas.The adolescent birth rate was 54 per 1,000 in 2019. Leading causes of high adolescent birth rates included high rates of poverty and widespread lack of reproductive health education.There were reports of social and cultural barriers related to menstruation and access to menstruation hygiene that impacted women and girls’ ability to participate equally in society, including limits on girls’ access to education. Human rights organizations reported lack of knowledge led to misconceptions, taboos, and negative cultural and social norms around menstruation. As a result, women and girls experienced negative health consequences and higher rates of school absenteeism and poor educational outcomes. Additionally, menstruation stigma prevented women and girls from seeking treatment for menstruation-related disorders or pain. They also refrained from taking certain jobs or were not able to work because of menstruation stigma. Ministry of Education policy required pregnant girls to stop attending classes until one year after they gave birth or if they provided medical records showing the pregnancy ended.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The constitution provided that all citizens were equal in worth and dignity and that all citizens enjoy the same rights and were entitled to the same protections under the law. No citizens could be excluded from social, economic, or political life of the country based on their race, language, religion, or ethnic origin. In addition, the constitution provided for representation in all elected and appointed government positions for the two largest ethnic groups, as well as representation in parliament for the indigenous Twa. The government did not enforce the laws effectively.																																				Indigenous Peoples										The indigenous Twa numbered an estimated 80,000, less than 1 percent of the population, according to a 2008 government census, although NGO estimates ranged widely. They generally remained economically, politically, and socially marginalized, although the government did not discriminate in its legal recognition of the Twa. Twa communities collectively made decisions affecting their lands, culture, and traditions, without outside interference.By law, local administrations had to provide free schoolbooks and health care for all Twa children. Local administrations largely fulfilled these requirements, but there were reports of disproportionate lack of access to education for Twa children because they lacked civil documents required to enroll in school.Members of the Twa, who in many cases lacked official documentation, were often excluded from opportunities in the formal economy.																																				Children										Birth Registration: Unregistered children did not have access to some public services, including free health care for children younger than five and free access to basic education, according to UNICEF.Education: Girls suffered from lower school enrollment rates and higher dropout rates. Contributing factors included cultural norms that favored boys obtaining education and girls engaging in domestic and agricultural work at home, preparing for marriage, and early pregnancies.Child Abuse: The law prohibited violence against or abuse of children, but child abuse was a widespread problem.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The legal age for marriage was 18 for girls and 21 for boys. Forced marriages were illegal, and the government generally enforced the law. Nevertheless, forced marriages reportedly occurred with frequency mainly due to economic pressures and early or unwanted pregnancy.Sexual Exploitation of Children: The minimum age for consensual sex was 18. The law prohibited child sex trafficking and child pornography. There were no prosecutions during the year.																																				Antisemitism										No estimate was available on the size of the Jewish population. There were no reports of antisemitic incidents.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization: The law penalized consensual same-sex sexual relations by adults with up to two years in prison. On February 22, 24 individuals were arrested during an entrepreneurship training session provided by the AIDS-combating NGO, MUCO. They were charged with homosexuality and incitement to debauchery, as were two additional MUCO executive committee members later. In an August 22 ruling, five individuals were convicted on both charges and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment; two others were found guilty of the homosexuality charge and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment. The remaining 19 were acquitted; however, nine were kept in detention despite their acquittal, and one of those acquitted died in detention. The prosecutor appealed the verdicts for all defendants; the appeals trial took place on November 14-15. As of December, the court had provided no final ruling.Violence and Harassment: There were reports that government agents incited, condoned, and tolerated violence against LGBTQI+ persons. LGBTQI+ persons refrained from reporting such incidents to authorities or media because of stigma, a desire to protect their identities, and concern regarding prosecution of consensual same-sex sexual relations. NGOs reported nonstate acts of violence and abuse predicated on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. There were no reports of official actions to investigate or punish those complicit in violence and abuses by state or nonstate actors.Discrimination: The law did not prohibit discrimination by state or nonstate actors based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. Members of the LGBTQI+ community faced discrimination in hiring and access to the workplace. Some NGOs highlighted that stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQI+ community was disproportionately high. According to the national education policy, LGBTQI+ identity was a ground for expulsion from school. Societal discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons was common. Anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric was widespread, especially among politicians, who condemned homosexuality in religious terms or declared it imported from western countries. LGBTQI+ communities in the country reported many LGBTQI+ persons entered opposite-sex marriages or moved abroad due to social pressure and discrimination. On May 27, media reported two male students were expelled from high school in Kayanza Province for engaging in same-sex acts. On March 8, the country’s Roman Catholic church ordered that all schools under its auspices stop working with organizations “whose teachings on sexual health violate the doctrine of the Church and Burundian culture.” The order was understood to target sex education and LGBTQI+ awareness.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition: Legal gender recognition was not available. There were reports that antifraud laws could be used against transgender and gender-diverse persons whose expressed gender did not match their legal documents.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices: Families and church groups frequently held prayer sessions intended to “convert” LGBTQI+ persons to heterosexuality.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly: Laws that criminalized same-sex sexual relationships effectively restricted public speech regarding LGBTQI+ topics. Organizations catering to LGBTQI+ persons did not explicitly register as such to escape prosecution. There was a limited ability to organize public events on topics of interest to LGBTQI+ persons.																																				Persons with Disabilities										Persons with disabilities could not access education, health services, public buildings, and transportation on an equal basis with others. No legislation mandated access to buildings, information, or government services for persons with disabilities.The constitution prohibited discrimination against persons with disabilities, but the government did not promote or protect their rights. Although persons with disabilities were eligible for free health care through social programs targeting vulnerable groups, authorities did not widely publicize or provide benefits. Persons with disabilities experienced discrimination in employment. Employers often required job applicants to present a health certificate from the Ministry of Public Health stating they did not have a contagious disease and were fit to work, a practice that sometimes resulted in discrimination against persons with disabilities. The government did not provide government information and communication in accessible formats.The government supported a center for physical therapy in Gitega and a center for social and professional inclusion in Ngozi for persons with physical disabilities. The Ministry of Education had an inclusive education department to support schools with students with disabilities through teachers’ training and adequate school materials.																																				Other Societal Violence or Discrimination										Criminals sometimes killed persons with albinism, particularly children, to use their body parts for ritual purposes. According to the chairperson of the Association of Albinos without Borders, society did not accept persons with albinism, and they often faced unemployment and isolation. He added that children with albinism often failed in school primarily due to harassment, uncorrected vision problems, and lack of support from the education sector. He also said women with albinism often were “chased out by their families because they are considered as evil beings.” Persons with albinism experienced discrimination in employment. The government took steps to improve integration of persons with albinism into society and sensitize communities to promote antidiscrimination efforts, including creation of socioeconomic integration groups of persons with albinism that offered opportunities for loans and specialized health care.A 2021 independent study reported HIV and AIDS stigma was widespread; the most frequent manifestations of stigma included physical violence, verbal violence, marginalization, discrimination, self-stigma, fear and insecurity, and health-care provider stigma. The study noted less discrimination in the education and employment sectors.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provided for the right of workers to form and join independent unions with restrictions. A union had to have at least 50 members. The minister of labor had the authority to designate the most representative trade union in each sector. Most civil servants could unionize, but their unions had to register with the Labor Ministry, which had the authority to deny registration and require unions to provide information on the union administration. Police, the armed forces, magistrates, and foreigners working in the public could not form or join unions. Workers younger than 18 had to have the consent of their parents or guardians to join a union.The law provided workers with a conditional right to strike after meeting strict conditions; it banned solidarity strikes. The law required parties to exhaust all other means of resolution (dialogue, conciliation, and arbitration) prior to a strike. The law also required intending strikers to represent a majority of workers and to give six days’ notice to the employer and the labor ministry, and required negotiations mediated by a mutually agreed-upon party or by the government continue during the action. Strikes and demonstrations were banned during elections. The ministry determined whether the sides met strike conditions, in effect giving it the power to prevent strikes. The law permitted requisition of essential employees in the event of strike action. The law prohibited retribution against workers participating in a legal strike.The law recognized the right to collective bargaining, but excluded measures regarding public-sector wages that were set according to fixed scales following consultation with unions. The minister of labor designated the most representative employee organization by order. If negotiations resulted in deadlock, the minister could impose arbitration and approve or revise any agreement. No laws compelled an employer to engage in collective bargaining. The law prohibited antiunion discrimination but allowed termination of workers engaged in an illegal strike and did not specifically provide for reinstatement of workers dismissed for union activity.The government did not effectively enforce applicable laws, and penalties were never applied against violators. Resources for inspection and remediation were inadequate, and penalties were not commensurate with those under other laws involving denials of civil rights. Administrative and judicial procedures were subject to lengthy delays and appeals.The government placed excessive restrictions on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining and sometimes interfered in union activities. During a May 10 council of ministers meeting, the minister of finance requested that private companies that had hired former public servants fired from their government jobs terminate their contracts immediately, threatening to sever any business ties with the government for those who failed to do so. Most unions were public-employee unions, and virtually no private-sector workers were unionized. Since most salaried workers were civil servants, government entities were involved in almost every phase of labor negotiation. The principal trade union confederations represented labor interests in collective bargaining negotiations in cooperation with individual labor unions.Most laborers worked in the informal economy. According to the Confederation of Burundian Labor Unions, virtually no informal-sector workers had written employment contracts.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										See the Department of Labor’s Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings .																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws: The official minimum wages, unchanged since 1988, were below the official poverty line. Prevailing minimum wages more reflective of labor market forces were below the international poverty line.The law limited working hours to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week, but there were many exceptions, including for workers engaged in national security, guarding residential areas, and road transport. Private security companies received guidance from the Labor Ministry allowing workweeks of 72 hours for security guards, not including training. There was no legislation on mandatory overtime, but premium pay was required for any overtime work performed. Foreign or migrant workers were subject to the same conditions and laws as citizens.Occupational Safety and Health: The labor code established appropriate occupational safety and health (OSH) standards for the workplace, but they often were not followed. Many buildings under construction in Bujumbura, for example, had workforces without proper protective equipment, such as closed-toe shoes, and scaffolding built of wooden poles of irregular length and width.Workers had the right to remove themselves from situations of imminent danger without jeopardy to their employment.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement: The government did not effectively enforce the law, and penalties were not commensurate with those for similar crimes. The Labor Inspectorate in the Ministry of Labor was responsible for enforcing the laws on minimum wages and working hours as well as safety standards and worker health regulations. The labor inspectors’ mandate was limited to the formal sector, except where international agreements extend the mandate to all employment. Inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions. The government did not hire sufficient inspectors to enforce compliance or allocate sufficient resources to address enforcement needs, such as that necessary for training and transportation for inspectors.The Labor Inspectorate was responsible for enforcing the laws on minimum wages and working hours as well as safety standards and worker health regulations. Violations of safety standards were reportedly commonplace, but there were no official investigations, no cases of employers reported for violating safety standards, and no complaint reports filed with the Labor Inspectorate during the year. The government did not report data on deaths in the workplace.Labor laws applied to the informal sector, but they were not enforced. More than 90 percent of the working population worked in the informal economy, mostly in agriculture and as domestic workers, and thus lacked access to legal protections. Violations of wage, hour and safety regulations were common, but no cases were investigated or prosecuted.The law defined employers’ obligations on occupational health and safety and mandated that employers contribute toward health insurance, including for employees in the informal sector. The labor code provided protections for laborers in the informal sector, gave labor inspectors the power to refer violations of the code to police and courts, and created the post of medical inspector of labor, who was responsible for protecting the physical and mental health of workers.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																				Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																												Freedom of Association																																																																																				c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																						f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)																																																						g. Stateless Persons																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Indigenous Peoples																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																						Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of African Affairs																								Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Burundi
- On the Human Rights Situation in Burundi HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;On the Human Rights Situation in Burundi				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										On the Human Rights Situation in Burundi																																		Press Statement																														January 5, 2024																																							The United States is deeply troubled by President Ndayishimiye’s remarks targeting certain vulnerable and marginalized Burundians.  We call on all of Burundi’s leaders to respect the inherent dignity and inalienable rights, including equal access to justice, of every member of Burundian society.  Such efforts are an essential precursor to spur the economic growth necessary to improve conditions for all Burundians.						Tags																					Bureau of African Affairs																								Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Burundi																																														Human Rights and Democracy																															Office of the Spokesperson
- Winners of the 2023 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Winners of the 2023 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Winners of the 2023 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence																																		Media Note																														October 19, 2023																																							The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs is pleased to announce five winners of the 2023 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE). Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will present these five American companies, large and small, with the award in a ceremony on October 30, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EDT at the State Department. The 2023 ACE categories are Women’s Economic Security; Innovation; and Sustainable Supply Chains.The award recognizes two companies in the category&nbsp;Women’s Economic Security.&nbsp;Avertra Corp., operating in Amman, Jordan, is a medium-sized Virginia-based American software firm dedicated to an equitable and inclusive workplace for women in a male-dominated field. The second winner is&nbsp;Google Poland, which is setting the standard in promoting gender equality in the workplace and supporting women in tech initiatives in Poland, Ukraine, and the region, including Ukrainian refugees from Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine.In the&nbsp;Innovation&nbsp;category, the 2023 ACE Winner is&nbsp;Kentegra Biotechnology, operating out of Nairobi, Kenya. Kentegra is a biotech firm that has pioneered Kenya&#8217;s revival as a global leader in cultivating pyrethrum with smallholder farmers. Pyrethrum is a climate change-resistant cash crop and is an active ingredient used in sustainable organic biopesticides to grow healthier food and provide stronger crop protection.In&nbsp;Sustainable Supply Chains, the first 2023 ACE Winner is&nbsp;Ampersand USA Inc., operating in Kigali, Rwanda. Ampersand is Africa’s first mobility energy company, providing electricity and vehicles to power fleets of thousands of electric motorcycle taxis across the continent. The second winner is&nbsp;Parsyl, Abidjan, Côte d&#8217;Ivoire, a supply chain technology company specializing in risk management and cargo insurance for perishable goods. It supports cold chain data collection and analytics at the national, district, and local levels in Senegal, Côte d&#8217;Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help strengthen vaccine supply chain systems and identify needed improvements.This year marks the Award for Corporate Excellence’s 24th anniversary. Established in 1999, ACE recognizes the crucial role U.S. companies are playing in elevating global standards of business conduct. Together, these companies are leading the way in addressing some of our greatest global challenges.The U.S. Department of State is committed to working with companies to further responsible business practices worldwide and to recognize their efforts to improve lives at home and abroad. For more information, please visit:&nbsp;http://www.state.gov/ace.The invitation-only 2023 ACE ceremony will be open to credentialed members of the media on a space-available basis. A separate notice to the press with access details will be issued soon. For media inquiries, please contact&nbsp;eb-press-inquiry@state.gov.						Tags																													Award for Corporate Excellence																															Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Burkina Faso																								Burundi																																Business																															Côte d&#039;Ivoire																								Democratic Republic of the Congo																																Economic Affairs																																																					Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy																																																					Energy																															Jordan																								Kenya																								Niger																								Office of the Spokesperson																								Poland																								Rwanda																								Senegal																								Ukraine																																Women’s Economic Empowerment
- Burundi HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Investment Climate Statements&#8230;Burundi				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Investment Climate Statements: Burundi																																																																																												 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																																									Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																																											Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																																											Business Facilitation																																																																											Outward Investment																																																																																	2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																															3. Legal Regime																																																									Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																																											International Regulatory Considerations																																																																											Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																																											Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																																											Expropriation and Compensation																																																																											Dispute Settlement																																																																			ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																																								Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																																								International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																																																		Bankruptcy Regulations																																																																																	4. Industrial Policies																																																									Investment Incentives																																																																											Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																																											Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																																																	5. Protection of Property Rights																																																									Real Property																																																																											Intellectual Property Rights																																																																																	6. Financial Sector																																																									Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																																											Money and Banking System																																																																											Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																																			Foreign Exchange																																																								Remittance Policies																																																																																																																		Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																																																	7. State-Owned Enterprises																																																									Privatization Program																																																																																	8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																																																																																																																																																																				9. Corruption																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																					10. Political and Security Environment																															11. Labor Policies and Practices																															12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																															13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																															14. Contact for More Information																																																					EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				Located in Central Africa, Burundi is one of the seven member states of the East African Community (EAC). Burundi is one of the world’s most impoverished countries, with 87 percent of the population living below the World Bank’s poverty measure of $1.90 per day, 80-90 percent of the population reliant on agriculture (mostly subsistence farming) and a youth unemployment rate of about 65 percent. Economic growth is insufficient to create employment for Burundi’s rapidly growing population. President Ndayishimiye, in power since June 2020, has taken some steps to promote good political and economic governance to improve the business environment, fight corruption, promote fiscal transparency and, most recently, enact needed banking and currency reforms. His administration seeks to increase existing value chains to find new sources of employment and revenue and to find new revenue streams. Despite these efforts, corruption, an ill-equipped bureaucracy, and rule-of-law deficiencies remain endemic.The Government of Burundi (GoB) continues to try to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI). Since taking office, President Ndayishimiye has made or hosted multiple state visits with potential trade and development partners. Given the importance of agriculture, the GoB is promoting initiatives to modernize and diversify agricultural production, seeking to increase production of crops beyond coffee and tea. To attract FDI, the GoB must address an array of longstanding challenges, including: poor governance and weak institutional capacity; pervasive corruption; a low-skilled workforce; only 12 percent electrification nationwide; poor internet connectivity; and limited availability of reliable economic statistics.The GoB is working to develop infrastructure, including photovoltaic and hydroelectric power plants, roads construction projects, the rehabilitation of Bujumbura Port, upgrading Bujumbura’s international airport, and the construction of a railway joining Burundi, DRC and Tanzania to improve access to the country, reduce transportation costs, and boost regional trade. The demand for electricity and water significantly exceeds capacity, and the transmission system is old and poorly maintained, leading to frequent outages. In June 2021, the government suspended all mining activities of the main foreign companies operating in the country, pending revision of the mining code and renegotiations of mining contracts. A new draft code was approved by the Council of Ministers in February 2022, but has not yet been adopted by the legislature or signed into law and the mining sector remains closed to private companies.In April 2023, the GoB and the IMF reached a staff-level agreement on a 40-month arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) with access of SDR 200.2 million (or about $261.7 million), the first Upper Credit Tranche-quality program for Burundi supported by the Fund since 2015. The program aims to restore external sustainability and strengthen debt sustainability, while supporting economic recovery from shocks and creating fiscal space for accelerated and inclusive growth.Burundi’s economy has been hit by several shocks internally and externally, halting its recovery from the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and heightening its macroeconomic imbalances. These include delayed rainfall in 2022, which affected crops and heightened food insecurity, limited availability of fertilizer due to limited foreign exchange (FX) for imports, supply disruptions linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever and porcine fevers that hampered livestock production. IMF estimated that real GDP growth slowed to 1.8 percent in 2022 (down from 3.1 percent in 2021) but projected a rebound to 3.3 percent in 2023. Nevertheless, delayed harvests and lower crop productivity in 2022 will likely impact agricultural production in 2023.Inflation pressures have not receded. Inflation averaged 18.9 percent in 2022 and has continued to accelerate (28.6 percent at the end of January 2023), driven mainly by high prices for staples. Inflation is projected to remain high at around 18 percent in 2023. Higher import prices have pushed up inflation, widened the fiscal deficit, and heightened current account pressures.The GoB indicates it plans to return to fiscal consolidation FY2023/24 (July-June), strengthening revenue collection efforts and restraining spending while preserving social spending and scaling up investment under the country’s Public Investment Plan (PIP). The GoB projects that public debt will decline over the medium term under the PIP through external rebalancing and unwinding of monetary financing. The central bank (BRB) indicates it is committed to recalibrating monetary and external policies to address below-adequate foreign exchange reserves (1.5 months of imports at the end of 2022) and in May took steps to address the large parallel FX market premium. To that end, the BRB initiated FX market liberalization, reauthorizing commercial banks to accept and distribute foreign currencies and looking to the Interbank Currency Market (composed of commercial banks and exchange bureaus) for market-based FX rates rather than the BRB setting official exchange rates based on non-market factors. Governance and structural reforms will be at the core of the authorities’ medium-term program to create a business environment conducive to private-led diversified and inclusive growth and job creation.&nbsp;Table 1: Key Metrics and RankingsMeasureYearIndex/RankWebsite AddressTI Corruption Perceptions Index2022171 of 180http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview Global Innovation Index2022130 of 132https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-indicator U.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, historical stock positions)2021USD 1.0 Mhttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/  World Bank GNI per capita2021USD 220https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD   																																					1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment						    																																																Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment										The Government of Burundi (GoB) is generally supportive of FDI and seeks investments to promote economic growth. The GoB revised the country’s investment code in June 2021 (last updated in 2008) and issued the first national industrialization policy and its accompanying implementation strategy. These regulations offer the same advantages to both Burundian and foreign investors. The regulations also raised the minimum investment amounts to be eligible for certain benefits in the investment code from $50,000 to $500,000 for all investors, with the stated purpose of attracting only quality investments that will create decent jobs. Industry experts believe the new investment regulations will boost development of the industrial sector, which so far contributes only about 17 percent of GDP. An overview of the legal framework for foreign investment can be found at:  http://www.eatradehub.org/burundi_investment_policy_assessment_2018_presentation Along with the new investment code, the Burundi Development Agency (ADB) officially replaced the Investment Promotion Agency (API). The ADB has taken over all the missions of the API and is currently the only entry portal and interlocutor for all investors looking for business opportunities in Burundi. The ADB is the government authority responsible for promoting investment, improving the business climate, and facilitating market entry for investors in Burundi. ADB offers a range of services to potential investors, including assistance in acquiring the licenses, certificates, approvals, authorizations, and permits required by law to set up and operate a business enterprise in Burundi. ADB has set up a “one-stop shop” to facilitate and simplify business registration in Burundi, although investors must be physically present in country to register with ADB. ADB is also tasked with providing investors with information on investment and export promotion, assisting them with legal formalities, including obtaining the required documents, and intervening when laws and regulations are not properly applied. While ADB is the initial and primary point of entry for investors, relevant government ministries also regularly meet with private investors to discuss regulatory and legal issues.																																				Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment										Foreign and domestic companies have the same rights to establish and own businesses in the country and engage in all forms of activities. However, there are restrictions on foreign investments in weaponry, ammunition, and any sort of military or para-military enterprises. There are no other restrictions nor are there any other sectors in which foreign investors are denied the same treatment as domestic firms. There are no general limits on foreign ownership or control.Article 63 of the 2013 mining code stipulates that the GoB must own at least 10 percent of shares in any foreign company with an industrial mining license and state participation cannot be diluted in the event of an increase in the share capital.Burundi does not maintain an investment screening mechanism for inbound foreign investment.																																				Other Investment Policy Reviews										No investment policy review from a multilateral organization has taken place in the last three years. The most recent review was performed in 2010 by UNCTAD.																																				Business Facilitation										In addition to fiscal advantages provided in the new investment code, Burundi has approved reforms designed to improve ease of doing business, including reinforcing the capabilities of the one-stop shop at ADB, simplifying tax procedures for small and medium enterprises, reducing the time and cost of registering a business (about four hours at the cost of approximately $21), launching an electronic single window for business transactions, and harmonizing commercial laws within the East African Community. For more details and information on registration procedures, deadlines and costs, investors can visit the ADB at  https://www.investburundi.bi/ .The ADB is also responsible for assisting investors in obtaining entry visas, work permits and operating licenses, connections to water and electricity, amicable resolution of disputes between investors and state-owned entities, as well as any other related appropriate assistance.The ADB indicates that from July-December 2022, more than 2,511 companies were registered and created, giving rise to an estimated 156,800 jobs. The agency also issued 45 grants that are expected to use a capital of over 400 billion BIF (approximately USD 200 million) and projected to create 3,902 jobs. Although the construction, infrastructure projects, transportation and tourism sectors are attracting foreign investment, ADB notes that the energy and mining sectors attract the most interest from investors.There is no specific mechanism for ensuring equitable treatment of women and underrepresented minorities.																																				Outward Investment										The host government does not have mechanisms for promoting or incentivizing outward investment. The host government does not restrict domestic investors from investing abroad.																																												2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties						    																						Burundi has bilateral investment treaties (BIT) signed and in force with the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union, Germany, Kenya, Mauritius, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It also has BITs signed but not in force with Turkey, Comoros, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. The United States suspended Burundi’s eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in 2016.Burundi does not have a bilateral taxation treaty with the United States. The United States signed Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFA) with the East African Community in 2008, and with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2001. Burundi is a member of both regional organizations.																																		3. Legal Regime						    																																																Transparency of the Regulatory System										Although parts of the government are working to create more transparent policies for fostering competition, Burundi lacks much of the necessary regulatory framework. Many policies for foreign investment are not transparent, and laws or regulations on the books are often ineffective or unenforced. Burundi’s regulatory and accounting systems are generally transparent and consistent with international norms on paper, but a lack of capacity or training for staff and political constraints sometimes limit the regularity and transparency of their implementation.Rule-making and regulatory authority is exercised exclusively at the national level. Relevant ministries and the Council of Ministers exercise regulatory and rule-making authority, based on laws passed by the Senate and National Assembly. In practice, government officials sometimes exercise influence over the application and interpretation of rules and regulations outside of formal structures. The government sometimes discusses proposed legislation and rule-making with private sector interlocutors and civil society but does not have a formal public comment process. There are no informal regulatory processes managed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or private sector associations.Draft bills or regulations are not subject to a public consultation process. There are no conferences that involve citizens in a consultative process to give them an opportunity to make comments or contributions, especially at the time of project development, and, even if this were the case, the public does not have access to the detailed information needed to participate in this process.Burundi does not have a centralized online location where key regulatory actions are published; however, regulatory actions are sometimes posted on the websites of GoB institutions (typically that of the Office of the President or respective ministries).Burundi has sectoral regulatory agencies covering taxes and revenues, mining and energy, water, and agriculture. Regulatory actions are reviewable by courts. There have been no recent reforms to the regulatory enforcement system.The government generally issues terms of reference and recruits private consultants who prepare a study on the draft legislation for review and comment by the private sector. The government analyzes these comments and takes them into consideration when drafting new regulations. New regulations can be issued by a presidential decree or Parliament can make them into a law. This mechanism applies to laws and regulations on investment.Information on public finances and debt obligations (including explicit and contingent liabilities) is published in the Burundi Central Bank’s Reports and on its website:  https://www.brb.bi/ . However, some publications on the website are not up to date.																																				International Regulatory Considerations										Burundi is a member of the East African Community (EAC), a regional economic bloc composed of seven member states: the republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the recently admitted Democratic Republic of the Congo. The EAC integration process is anchored on four pillars: a customs union, a common market, a monetary union, and political federation. Each member state must harmonize its national regulatory system with that of the EAC.Burundian law and regulations reference several standards, including the East African Standards, Codex Alimentarius Standards, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and Burundi’s own standards. ISO remains the main standard of reference.The country joined the WTO on July 23, 1995. According to the Ministry of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism, Burundi has not notified the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade of all its draft technical regulations.																																				Legal System and Judicial Independence										The country’s legal system is civil (Roman), based on German and French civil codes. For local civil matters, customary law also applies. Burundi’s legal system contains standard provisions guaranteeing the right to private property and the enforcement of contracts. The country has a written commercial law and a commercial court. The investment code offers plaintiffs recourse in the national court system and to international arbitration.The judicial system is not effectively independent of the executive branch. A lack of capacity hinders judicial effectiveness, and judicial procedures are not rigorously observed.																																				Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment										In June 2021, the GoB adopted a revised investment code and the first national industrialization policy and its accompanying implementation strategy. Along with the new investment code, the Burundi Development Agency (ADB) officially replaced the Investment Promotion Agency (API) (See Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment above).																																				Competition and Antitrust Laws										There is no agency in charge of reviewing transactions for competition-related concerns.																																				Expropriation and Compensation										Burundian law allows the GoB to expropriate property for exceptional and state-approved reasons, but the GoB is then committed to provide compensation based on the fair market value prior to expropriation.There are no recent cases involving expropriation of foreign investments nor do any foreign firms have active pending complaints regarding compensation in Burundian courts.																																				Dispute Settlement																										ICSID Convention and New York Convention						Burundi is a full member of the ICSID Convention since 1969 and became the 150th country to sign the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (1958 New York Convention). Burundi’s commercial law allows enforcement of judgments in foreign courts by local courts.						Investor-State Dispute Settlement						Burundi is a signatory of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) in which international arbitration of investment disputes is recognized. Burundi does not have a bilateral investment treaty with the United States.There have been limited instances of foreign investors seeking restitution from the GoB over allegations of breach of contract and corruption.In cases involving international parties, the GoB accepts international arbitration and recognizes and enforces foreign arbitral awards. There is no history of extrajudicial action against foreign investors.						International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts						In rare cases involving international elements, the GoB accepts international arbitration and recognizes and enforces foreign arbitral awards. In investment disputes between private parties, international arbitration is accepted as a means of settlement provided one of the parties is a non-national. In 2007, the GoB created a Center for Arbitration and Mediation (CEBAC) to handle such disputes, but it is not very active.There is no operational commercial arbitration body in the country besides CEBAC. Foreign arbitral awards are recognized, but local courts are not legally equipped to enforce them. No Burundian private entity has been involved in a foreign arbitration. In the past, one registered case involved the GoB and a private gold refining company. The GoB lost the case and enforced the ICSID’s against the GoB.																										Bankruptcy Regulations										Burundi has two laws governing or pertaining to bankruptcy: Law N°1/07 of March 15, 2006, on bankruptcy and Law N°1/08 of March 15, 2006, on legal settlement of insolvent companies. Under Burundian law, creditors have the right to file for liquidation and the right to request personal or financial information about the debtors from the legal bankruptcy agent. The bankruptcy framework does not require that creditors approve the selection of the bankruptcy agent and does not provide creditors the right to object to decisions accepting or rejecting creditors’ claims.																																												4. Industrial Policies						    																																																Investment Incentives										The updated investment code grants potential fiscal and customs benefits for up to five years, or up to ten years for certain sectors as determined by presidential decree and based on the country’s development needs. Benefits include exemption from transfer duties for the acquisition of land or buildings, exemption from Value Added Tax (VAT) and customs duties on the importation of construction materials and production inputs, and reduced tax rates on profits ranging from 5 to 25 percent for the first five years, after which the corporate tax rate is set at 30 percent.The GoB does not issue guarantees, but does co-finance foreign direct investment projects, albeit typically on an in-kind basis, such as by granting land for facilities.																																				Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation										Burundi belongs to the trading blocs of the EAC, the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Economic Community of the States of Central Africa (CEEAC). During the reporting period, Burundi ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, accepting all conditions of the agreement. The GoB has set up an ad hoc committee to continue working on AfCFTA integration and Burundi hopes to benefit from AfCFTA’s market due to its strategic location and natural resources.The government indicates it aims to accelerate integration into other trading blocs, such as the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) between COMESA, EAC and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). The GoB also began harmonizing its policies and legal framework with those of regional entities to advance regional integration, improve its competitiveness, and take better advantage of external economic potentials. However, as the enabling regulations do not yet exist, Burundi does not yet have operational free economic zones.The GoB is working to establish its first Special Economic Zone (ZESB) in order to enhance growth and development. ZESB is still under construction on the Warubondo site (a strategic location of 5.43 square kilometers located between Burundi and neighboring DRC with easy access to Bujumbura city, Bujumbura International Airport, Bujumbura Port and Lake Tanganyika). ZESB is a result of a business partnership between the GoB and private foreign investors and its main objective is to revive the industrial sector and to promote exports. The economic model behind this partnership is that the zone will be a window for foreign investors, but all the products produced within the zone will bear the label &#8220;Made in Burundi.&#8221;																																				Performance and Data Localization Requirements										The current government policy for both domestic and foreign companies is mandatory employment of local workers unless it is not possible to find a local candidate with the required skills or expertise. The number of expatriate employees is limited to 20 percent of the total workforce. There is no policy mandating foreign companies to appoint local personnel to senior management or boards of directors.Burundian visa requirements are not excessively onerous and do not generally inhibit the mobility of foreign investors and their employees. During the reporting period, Burundi reauthorized visitors to apply for a visa upon arrival at the airport. A foreigner holding a residency visa is permitted to work in Burundi. A two-year residence visa (renewable) costs $500 and it can only be issued after making a refundable deposit of $1,500 in a local bank (BANCOBU).The 2000 Arusha Agreements for peace and reconciliation for Burundi and the Constitution recommend ethnic and gender quotas for new hires (60 percent from the Hutu ethnic group, 40 percent from the Tutsi ethnic group and 30 percent women) in state and security institutions. However, neither the Constitution nor the Arusha Agreements mention ethnic or gender quotas for the private sector. In 2017, a law was passed obliging International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) to recruit local staff while respecting the ethnic and gender quotas that apply to state institutions.There are no requirements that investors purchase from local sources. However, the mining code currently requires a commitment from investors to recruit staff or subcontractors of Burundian nationality as a precondition for granting a mining license, with mandatory quotas currently in place (although the mining code is under revision as of March 2022). The GoB imposes no performance requirements on investors as a condition for establishing, maintaining, or expanding their investments or for access to tax and investment incentives.There are no laws requiring foreign IT providers to turn over source code and/or provide access to encryption except for a law requiring that companies share user information with law enforcement authorities during terrorism investigations; this law applies equally to Burundian and foreign companies. There are no laws that prevent companies from transmitting data outside the country.																																												5. Protection of Property Rights						    																																																Real Property										Secured interests in both real and movable property are nominally recognized under Burundian law. The Burundi land code, adopted in 2011, recognizes the right to property and protection for Burundians and for foreigners. Foreigners enjoy the same rights and protection as nationals, subject to the principle of reciprocity. The state can give property to foreigners for industrial, commercial, and cultural use, and can rent them out, but full ownership is reserved for Burundians.Land titling in Burundi has historically been a lengthy, opaque, and centralized process. The Land Titles Service registers real estate and security instruments, such as mortgages. Property titles are accepted as a guarantee by commercial banks, but documents for properties located outside the capital city of Bujumbura are less readily accepted because of conflicts and crime related to land disputes in rural areas (more than 80 percent of criminal court cases are related to conflicts over land).The legal system and the investment code do not differentiate between local and foreign investors regarding land acquisition or lease. However, the possibility for land acquisition is based on reciprocity between Burundi and the investor’s home country.When a property has been legally purchased, it cannot be legally confiscated by the state except when it is the subject of an expropriation procedure in accordance with legal and regulatory procedures.																																				Intellectual Property Rights										Burundi is not listed in the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Special 301 Report or the Notorious Market List.Burundi has adopted the 1995 World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights (TRIPS), which introduced global minimum standards for the protection and enforcement of virtually all intellectual property rights (IPR). The legal system and the investment code aim to protect and facilitate the acquisition and disposition of all property rights, including IPR. The law also guarantees protection for patents, copyrights, and trademarks. However, there is no record of enforcement action on IPR infringement violations. No IPR-related law has been enacted during the past year and no bills are pending.Agents of Burundian institutions in charge of the fight against piracy and counterfeiting (Burundian Revenue Office, Ministries of Trade and Public Health) have already benefited from various sources of support in terms of capacity building on industrial property rights and the fight against piracy and counterfeiting on the part of multilateral partners, but these institutions lack modern tools for detecting counterfeits. Although these institutions have already committed themselves to carry out reforms in this sector (a multisectoral committee responsible for promoting procedures to combat counterfeiting and piracy and monitoring has been set up), they still need to set up a database of recognized trademarks, in which all the information on trademarks registered at customs is compiled and to require this procedure for all companies or representatives of multinationals to be effective.For now, the Burundi Bureau of Standardization (BBN) is the state authority responsible for monitoring the quality of consumer products on the market; however, this Bureau lacks the necessary expertise and resources to be effective.  Counterfeiters who are apprehended are fined and their products are seized. There are no statistics available on seizures of counterfeit goods. For additional information about national laws and points of contact at local IP offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at  http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/ .																																												6. Financial Sector						    																																																Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment										Although there are no regulatory restrictions on foreign portfolio investment, Burundi does not have capital markets that would enable it. Capital allocation within Burundi is entirely dependent on commercial banks.The country does not have its own stock market. There is no regulatory system to encourage and facilitate portfolio investment. Existing policies do not actively facilitate nor impede the free flow of financial resources into product and factor markets.There is no regulation restricting international transactions. In practice, however, the government restricts payments and transfers for international transactions due to a shortage of foreign currency, which impedes doing business in a number of ways.In theory, foreign investors have access to all existing credit instruments and on market terms. In practice, available credit is extremely limited.																																				Money and Banking System										The financial sector includes 15 credit institutions, 40 microfinance institutions, 16 insurance companies, three social security institutions and three payment institutions. All these institutions aim at reducing unemployment by creating job opportunities, particularly small and medium-scale entrepreneurship. The banking market is dominated by the three largest and systemically important banks: Credit Bank of Bujumbura (BCB), Burundi Commercial Bank (BANCOBU), and Interbank Burundi (IBB).Burundi’s population has very limited access to banking services, according to the most recent national survey on financial inclusion conducted by the central bank. In this 2016 survey, the Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB) found a penetration level of approximately 22 percent, although the government opened two banks, one for youth entrepreneurs and one for women, over the last 1.5 years in an effort to address this challenge.The government is a minority shareholder in six banks, including the country’s three largest banks and is the main shareholders in the two new banks BIJE (Banque d&#8217;Investissement des Jeunes/Youth Investment Bank) and BIDF (Banque d&#8217;Investissement et de Développement pour les Femmes/Investment and Development Bank for Women). Several local commercial banks have branches in urban centers and micro-finance institutions mostly serve rural areas. Foreign banks can establish operations in the country.  Foreign banks operating in the country include ECOBANK (Pan African Bank-West Africa), CRDB (Tanzanian Bank), DTB and KCB (both Kenyan Banks).  The central bank directs banking regulatory policy, including prudential measures for the banking system.  Foreigners and locals are subject to the same conditions when opening a bank account; the only requirement is the presentation of identification.																																				Foreign Exchange and Remittances																										Foreign Exchange						According to the GoB, funds associated with an investment can be converted into a freely usable currency at a legal market rate, pending their availability. In practice, foreign investors routinely encounter difficulties in converting funds associated with investments into foreign currency due to de facto capital controls implemented by the BRB in 2019 and lack of foreign currency reserves. Due to the shortage of foreign currency, the central bank prioritizes companies in specific strategic industries for access to foreign exchange accommodation.The government has imposed capital controls to prevent abrupt exchange rate movements; there is a significant gap between the official rate and a floating parallel unofficial market rate, which ranged from 50-70 percent during the rating period. The BRB publishes the daily exchange rate on its website each morning.						Remittance Policies						The government has not passed any new laws regarding a change to investment remittances policies. The average delay for remitting investment returns (once all taxes have been paid) is three months due to general inefficiency in the banking sector and the rarity of such transactions in an environment with very little foreign direct investment.																										Sovereign Wealth Funds										Burundi does not have a sovereign wealth fund.																																												7. State-Owned Enterprises						    																						There are five SOEs in Burundi with 100 percent government ownership: REGIDESO (public utility company), ONATEL (telecom), SOSUMO (sugar), OTB (tea), COGERCO (cotton) and ODECA (Coffee). No statistics on assets are available for these companies as their reports are not available to the public. Board members for SOEs are appointed by the GoB and report to its ministries. The GoB also has a minority (40 percent) share in Brarudi brewing company, a branch of the Heineken Group, the country’s largest taxpayer.There is no published list of SOEs.SOEs have no market-based advantages and compete with other investors under the same terms and conditions; however, Burundi does not adhere to the OECD guidelines on corporate governance for SOEs.																										Privatization Program										In 2002, Burundi entered an active phase of political stabilization, national reconciliation, and economic reform. In 2004, it received an emergency post-conflict program from the IMF and the World Bank, paving the way for the development of the Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Alleviation (PRSP). After the 2005 elections, the GoB made the decision to open several state-owned enterprises in different sectors of the economy to private investment, including foreign investment. The Burundian government, considering coffee a strategic sector of its economy, decided to opt for the privatization of the coffee sector first in an effort to modernize it. However, following the crisis of 2015, the GoB decided to suspend the privatization program. At that time, it had not yet privatized other sectors such as tea or sugar. In late 2019, the GoB regained control of the coffee sector, citing as its rationale perceived mismanagement on the part of the privatized companies during the 2015-2019. It is unclear if or when the privatization program will continue.																																												8. Responsible Business Conduct						    																						According to the investment code, any new enterprise is required to consider environmental issues and employee rights in its investment and business plan. The government has taken no comprehensive measures to implement policies or international standards regarding responsible business practices. The government routinely engages investors about including public and community benefits in investment projects, but has no clearly defined standards.There have not been any high-profile or controversial instances of private sector impact on human rights violations in the recent past. No reliable information is available on the maintenance and enforcement of domestic laws with respect to labor and employment rights, consumer protections, and environmental protections. In January 2019, the BRB issued a regulation relating to the protection of consumers of financial products and services in view of the complexity and growing diversity of the range of the services and products offered in Burundi.There are no corporate governance, accounting, or executive compensation standards in place to protect the interests of shareholders. There are no organizations focused specifically on RBC in the country.As a member of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the government has acceded to the OECD due diligence mechanism and the regional system for certification and traceability of certain minerals extracted from national mines (tin, tantalum, and tungsten), as well as against conflict minerals that can be smuggled from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, some civil society organizations report a noticeable lack of transparency in the Burundian mining sector (including alleged involvement of GoB officials in the trafficking of gold from the DRC).The government does not participate in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. There are no domestic transparency measures/policies that require the disclosure of payments made to the government.																																									Climate Issues						Burundi first made commitments to contribute to the fight against climate change through its original Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2015 during the twenty-first Conference of the Parties (COP 21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015 and Burundi ratified the agreement in 2018.  During the reporting period, Burundi submitted an updated 2020 NDC to the UNFCCC’s Secretariat in November 2021 at the Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) as well as an initial National Adaptation Plan (NAP).The interim NDC evaluation report of March 2021 noted some achievements in the forestry sector, although there were few results on energy sector commitments.  The report found the GoB lacked adequate funding and technical capacity for implementation.  Burundi contributes less than 0.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but remains vulnerable to global climate impacts.Burundi’s NAP on climate change calls for a range of responses.  In agriculture, Burundi is planning to increase irrigation and diversify climate-resilient, high-yield food crop varieties.  For ecosystems and landscapes, efforts will focus on reforestation of degraded lands and floodplain protection.  Water priorities include expanding integrated watershed management and rainwater harvesting.  Health efforts highlight the collection of environmental health data and the development of a health sector NAP.  Energy efforts will center on hydroelectric and solar power, increasing biogas, and improved cooking stoves.  Burundi’s infrastructure plans hope to improve waterways and structures around the Lake Tanganyika port area and rehabilitate existing road networks.																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																												9. Corruption						    																						The government has an anti-corruption law as well as constitutional provisions on corruption, although these have not been implemented. Cabinet members, parliamentarians, and officials appointed by presidential decree have immunity from prosecution on corruption charges, insulating them from accountability. Laws designed to combat corruption do not extend to family members of officials or to political parties.Article 60 of the April 2016 law “Bearing Measures for the Prevention and Punishment of Corruption and Related Offenses” regulates conflicts of interest, including in awarding government procurement. Burundian legislation criminalizes bribery of public officials, but there is no specific requirement for private companies to establish internal codes of conduct.Burundi is a signatory to the UN Anti-Corruption Convention and the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery. Burundi has also been a member of the East African Anti-Corruption Authority since joining the EAC in 2007. The country does not provide protections to NGOs involved in investigating corruption.A number of U.S. firms have noted corruption is an obstacle to direct investment in Burundi. Corruption is most pervasive in the award of licenses and concessions, which takes place in a non-transparent environment with frequent allegations of bribery and cronyism. Many customs officials are also reportedly corrupt, regularly extorting bribes from exporters and importers.In April 2021, the National Assembly approved a law disbanding the anti-corruption court and the anti-corruption police unit. The anti-corruption court’s authorities were transferred to the office of the attorney general and courts of appeals and the anticorruption police unit’s authorities were delegated to the judicial police.President Ndayishimiye continued with anti-corruption initiatives including dismissing high-level officials as well as hundreds of other low-level officials accused of malfeasance. In May 2021, President Ndayishimiye fired the Minister of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism over acts that risked compromising the country’s economy and tarnishing its image, reportedly in connection with the improper disposition of state property. He also fired the succeeding Minister of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism for tarnishing the image of the country after it came to light that she included family members and friends in official delegations abroad.																																									Resources to Report Corruption						Contact at the government agency or agencies that are responsible for combating corruption:Name: Roger NdikumanaTitle: Commissaire GénéralOrganization: Anti-Corruption BrigadeAddress:  PO Box 890 BujumburaTelephone Number:  (+257) 22 25 62 37Email Address:  brigadeanticorruption@yahoo.frContact at a &#8220;watchdog&#8221; organization:Name: Gabriel RufyiriTitle: PresidentOrganization:  OLUCOMEAddress: 47, Chaussée Prince Louis Rwagasore, n°47, 1st FloorTelephone Number: (+257) 79 30 82 97Email Address: rufyiriga@gmail.com / olucome2003@gmail.com&nbsp;																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																	10. Political and Security Environment						    																						Burundi has experienced cycles of ethnic and political violence since its independence in 1962. Periods before and after national elections have often been marked by political violence and civil disturbance. The May 2020 elections were largely peaceful, and the GoB has since consolidated power and security gains. Political tensions between the ruling party and opposition remain. The new administration has made efforts to reduce tensions with neighboring countries, including Rwanda, and to increase participation in regional security cooperation.																																		11. Labor Policies and Practices						    																						Unskilled local labor is widely available, while there are shortages for skilled workers in some sectors; no statistics are available on the shortage of specialized labor skills. According to government policy, the hiring of nationals should be prioritized except in cases in which no local expertise is available. Formal sector employment is limited, and official figures for unemployment are unreliable. Youth unemployment is estimated at approximately 65 percent.According to the investment code, any new enterprise is required to take into account environmental issues and employee rights in its investment and business plan. The government has taken no comprehensive measures to implement policies or international standards regarding responsible business practices. The government routinely engages investors about including public and community benefits in investment projects but has no clearly defined standards.No reliable information is available on the maintenance and enforcement of domestic laws with respect to labor and employment rights, consumer protections, and environmental protections. There are no known examples of labor laws being waived in order to attract or retain investment.The labor code allows for employers to respond to fluctuating market conditions with layoffs of workers. Labor laws do not differentiate between layoffs and firing for severance. The government has a social insurance program that provides limited coverage to workers laid off for economic reasons.Burundi is a member of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and its domestic labor law is in compliance with international labor standards. Workers’ unions are legally authorized, and there are laws and regulations that prohibit child and forced labor and any kind of discrimination. In practice, child labor occurs, and some union activity is restricted. Burundi has ratified all of the ILO fundamental conventions protecting workers’ rights; however, protection of core labor rights continues to be inadequate. The Ministry of Labor conduct inspections both in response to complaints or allegations of labor law violations and conduct routine, planned inspections, primarily of large employers. The Ministry of Justice has the ability to prosecute people who use children for work which, by their nature or the conditions in which they work, are likely to harm their health, safety and morals as provided by the law. However, child labor is common in the informal sector and largely goes unnoticed there. In the private sector, labor-management relations are usually conducted according to international standards that allow for collective bargaining. Burundi’s Labor Inspectorate has the authority to settle disputes between workers and employers, which can also be managed through civil judicial procedures. No strikes that posed an investment risk occurred during the past year. In November 2020, the government adopted a new labor code, replacing the 1993 code, with the main objective of complying with the various conventions that the country has since ratified, and above all responding to criteria for regional and international integration. This new code includes protections for employees and more flexibility and surety of contracts.In order to advance anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) efforts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staffed its new Department for the Promotion of Safe Labor Migration, which is tasked with producing new and stronger labor recruitment regulations that are currently under review. The government worked on bilateral agreements on migrant worker rights with four major destination countries, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and to date has signed cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia. Agreements with the remaining three Gulf destination countries are ongoing. The Ministry of Justice also increased the number of employees whose job is to monitor and report on TIP cases.																																		12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs						    																						DFC is active in Burundi, investing in an INGO that provides support to many small farmers based in hard-to-reach, remote areas. The INGO works with people in the community to provide seed and fertilizer on credit, together with training on best practices on growing and storing food, in order to increase value to the farmers. DFC also provides political risk insurance and debt financing for a significant solar energy project and is actively reviewing other investment opportunities.																																		13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics						    																						&nbsp;Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/EconomyHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or International Source of Data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherEconomic DataYearAmountYearAmountHost Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($M USD)2021$3,742*2021$2,780www.worldbank.org/en/country Foreign Direct InvestmentHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or international Source of data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherU.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, stock positions)2021N/A20211.0BEA data available at https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/ Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions)2021N/A2021N/ABEA data available at https://www.bea.gov/international/direct-investment-and-multinational-enterprises-comprehensive-dataTotal inbound stock of FDI as % host GDP2021N/A20217.3%UNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report   * BRB (Bank of the Republic of Burundi), 2021 Annual Report (at official exchange rate of December 31, 2021). Table 3: Sources and Destination of FDIDirect Investment from/in Counterpart Economy DataFrom Top Five Sources/To Top Five Destinations (US Dollars, Millions)Inward Direct InvestmentOutward Direct InvestmentTotal InwardAmount100%Total OutwardAmount100%2428.01006.01.0100N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A&#8220;0&#8221; reflects amounts rounded to +/- USD 500,000.&nbsp;Table 4: Sources of Portfolio InvestmentUNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report   Portfolio Investment AssetsTop Five Partners (Millions, current US Dollars)TotalEquity SecuritiesTotal Debt SecuritiesN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A&nbsp;																																		14. Contact for More Information						    																						Julie FriebEconomic Affairs OfficerEmbassy of the United States of America in Bujumbura(+257) 22 20 73 10friebj@state.govTresor NtandikiyeEconomic SpecialistEmbassy of the United States of America in Bujumbura(+257) 22 20 74 26BujumburaEcon@state.gov																										    							View report by:																				Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											The Bahamas											Azerbaijan											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Chile											China											Colombia											Costa Rica											Côte d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cyprus											Czechia											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France and Monaco											The Gambia											Gabon											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Honduras											Haiti											Hong Kong											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iraq											Ireland											Israel											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kosovo											Kyrgyz Republic											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Macau											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Nepal											Netherlands											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Peru											Philippines											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Somalia											South Africa											South Korea											South Sudan											Spain											Sri Lanka											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Türkiye											United Arab Emirates											Uganda											Ukraine											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vietnam											West Bank and Gaza											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																							Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																						Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																						Business Facilitation																																																						Outward Investment																																																			2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																3. Legal Regime																																							Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																						International Regulatory Considerations																																																						Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																						Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																						Expropriation and Compensation																																																						Dispute Settlement																																																				ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																												Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																												International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																				Bankruptcy Regulations																																																			4. Industrial Policies																																							Investment Incentives																																																						Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																						Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																			5. Protection of Property Rights																																							Real Property																																																						Intellectual Property Rights																																																			6. Financial Sector																																							Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																						Money and Banking System																																																						Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																				Foreign Exchange																																												Remittance Policies																																																																																				Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																			7. State-Owned Enterprises																																							Privatization Program																																																			8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																																																																																															9. Corruption																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																														10. Political and Security Environment																11. Labor Policies and Practices																12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																14. Contact for More Information																						Tags																					Bureau of African Affairs																								Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Burundi
- Burundi National Day Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States of America, I send my congratulations to the people of the Republic of Burundi as you celebrate 61 years of independence.  We commend Burundi’s continuing political and economic reforms and welcome Burundi’s positive engagement with international financial institutions.  We also appreciate the leadership role Burundi has played in regional peace and security as Chair of the East African Community and through its active participation in peacekeeping operations.The United States looks forward to working together over the next year to improve regional security and stability, promote economic growth, and protect and advance respect for human rights.  I extend to all Burundians my best wishes for health and prosperity in the year ahead.
- Burundi HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Fiscal Transparency Report&#8230;Burundi				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Fiscal Transparency Report: Burundi 																																					Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																																																																																																				 In this section																																												Government-by-Government Assessments: Burundi 																																												Government-by-Government Assessments: Burundi 				During the review period, the government made significant progress by auditing the entire annual executed budget within a reasonable period. The government published its enacted budget and end-of-year budget report within a reasonable period. It did not make an executive budget proposal publicly available. The government provided a substantially complete picture of its planned expenditures and revenue in publicly available budget documents, including information on financial allocations to and earnings from major state-owned enterprises. Information on debt obligations, including major state-owned enterprise debt, was not publicly available, timely, or comprehensive. Though information in the budget was not always complete, it was considered generally reliable. There were off-budget accounts not subject to adequate audit and oversight, and military and intelligence budgets were not fully subject to parliamentary or civilian public oversight. The supreme audit institution met international standards of independence. All mining activity approved by the prior government was suspended during the review period. The government is redrafting its mining sector regulations and will renegotiate its existing contracts under the new regulations.Burundi’s fiscal transparency would be improved by:Publishing an executive budget proposal within a reasonable period;Publishing information on government debt obligations, including for major state-owned enterprises;Eliminating off-budget accounts or subjecting them to adequate oversight and audit; andSubjecting military and intelligence budgets to adequate parliamentary or civilian public oversight.																												    							View report by:																				Afghanistan											Algeria											Angola											Azerbaijan											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Benin											Burma											Burundi											Cambodia											Cameroon											Central African Republic											Chad											China, People’s Republic of											Comoros											Congo, Democratic Republic of											Congo, Republic of the											Djibouti											Egypt											Equatorial Guinea											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Gabon											The Gambia											Guinea											Guinea-Bissau											Iraq											Laos											Lebanon											Liberia											Lesotho											Libya											Madagascar											Malawi											Mali											Maldives											Mauritania											Mongolia											Mozambique											Niger											Oman											Pakistan											Palestinian Authority											Papua New Guinea											Rwanda											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Sierra Leone											Somalia											South Africa											South Sudan											Sudan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Turkmenistan											Ukraine											Uzbekistan											Vietnam											Yemen											Zambia											Zimbabwe																										On This Page				search													>																										Government-by-Government Assessments: Burundi 																	Tags																					Bureau of African Affairs																								Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Burundi																								Division for International Finance and Development
- Burundi HomeReportsOffice to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons2023 Trafficking in Persons Report&#8230;Burundi				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: Burundi																																					Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons																																																																																																				 In this section										/																							BURUNDI (Tier 2)																																													BURUNDI (Tier 2)																															PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS:																																																																																		PROSECUTION																																																																																		PROTECTION																																																																																		PREVENTION																																																																																		TRAFFICKING PROFILE:																																																																																																								BURUNDI (Tier 2)				The Government of Burundi does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Burundi remained on Tier 2. These efforts included increased investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of trafficking crimes and increased anti-trafficking training for law enforcement and judicial officials. The government improved coordination efforts of its inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee and allocated funding to shelters. The government established new regulations for labor recruitment agencies to prevent exploitation of Burundians seeking employment abroad and ratified bilateral agreements with the Governments of Saudi Arabia and Qatar to enhance protections for migrant workers. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. The government did not identify any trafficking victims in Burundi for the second consecutive year, referred significantly fewer victims to care, and continued to rely on civil society organizations to provide most victim services. The government did not implement or train officials on its SOPs for victim identification and referral to care. The government did not finalize its draft National Action Plan (NAP) to combat trafficking.																																					PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS:						    																																															Using the SOPs for victim identification and referral to care, proactively identify trafficking victims by screening for trafficking indicators among vulnerable populations, including children, women, and young adults, and train officials on the procedures.Continue efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers, including complicit officials, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.Increase training for law enforcement and judicial officials on the trafficking law and investigating and prosecuting trafficking cases, and ensure trafficking cases are distinguished from migrant smuggling.Allocate increased financial and personnel resources for the anti-trafficking committee.Improve data collection systems on law enforcement efforts, victim identification, and referrals to care.Enforce regulations and oversight of labor recruitment agencies, including eliminating recruitment fees charged to migrant workers, and holding fraudulent labor recruiters criminally accountable.Digitize the Judicial Police record keeping system to better manage and follow up on trafficking cases.Finalize and implement the NAP to combat trafficking.																																												PROSECUTION						    																																															The government increased law enforcement efforts. Burundi’s 2014 Counter-Trafficking Law criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking. The law prescribed penalties of five to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 to 500,000 Burundian francs ($49 to $244), and in cases involving children, the law prescribed penalties of 10 to 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 to 2 million Burundian francs ($244 to $978). These penalties were sufficiently stringent and, with respect to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape.The government investigated 120 suspects (97 for labor trafficking, 10 for sex trafficking, and 13 involving unspecified forms of trafficking), compared with an unknown number of suspects investigated in 92 cases in 2021. The government continued 70 investigations initiated in the previous reporting period. The government initiated prosecution of 85 alleged traffickers compared with an unknown number of alleged traffickers prosecuted in 42 cases in 2021. The government continued prosecution of 59 alleged traffickers from previous reporting periods. The government convicted 33 traffickers (32 for labor trafficking, and one for sex trafficking), compared with nine in 2021. The government reported courts sentenced 33 traffickers to terms of imprisonment ranging from three months to 10 years, plus fines, and acquitted six defendants. The government collaborated with Saudi officials in the prosecution of two Saudi employers allegedly involved in the murder of a Burundian trafficking victim in Saudi Arabia. The government reported collaborating with Zambian authorities on the trial of a case involving an alleged Burundian trafficker arrested in Zambia.The government did not report any criminal investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of officials complicit in trafficking crimes; however, corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns. The government dismissed criminal charges previously brought against five police officers charged with trafficking crimes and did not report any updates on a Burundian diplomatic official charged with trafficking Burundians in Kenya. A Burundian diplomat and his spouse were found guilty of exploiting a domestic worker in France and sentenced to two years in prison and fined €70,000 ($74,790) by a French court. Observers alleged trafficking networks included officials handling passports and travel documents at the Commissary General of Migration, a division of the Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security.The government maintained a data collection system on law enforcement efforts to combat human trafficking, which included information compiled from courts, magistrates, and prosecutors from all 18 provinces. However, the government’s capacity to update and analyze the data remained limited, and observers reported additional resources and training were needed for the data collection system to be fully effective. The government, in partnership with an international organization, began developing new software to improve law enforcement data collection and synchronization. The Ministry of Justice had 58 anti-trafficking coordinators located throughout the country to oversee communication between government agencies and coordinate law enforcement procedures on trafficking cases. The government trained judges and judiciary police on victim identification, referral to care, and investigation procedures. The government provided anti-trafficking training to officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and labor inspectors. The government allocated approximately $38,510 to the labor inspectorate for enforcement initiatives, an increase of 14 times over last year’s budget. The National Commission on Trafficking provided anti-trafficking and human rights trainings to civil society organizations and front-line workers. The government provided additional anti-trafficking and prosecution trainings to government officials in partnership with an international organization, including 58 Ministry of Justice officials, 90 border police officers, and two officials from the MFA. The government continued to distribute the 2014 anti-trafficking law (translated into Kirundi) to law enforcement, magistrates, and judicial officials in all provinces.Although the government increased training for officials, understanding of the anti-trafficking law and the difference between migrant smuggling and human trafficking remained limited and impeded successful investigation and prosecution of trafficking crimes. Authorities appeared to dismiss trafficking cases on the grounds that parents of victims permitted their children to be recruited for work inside and outside the country; law enforcement often did not recognize trafficking indicators in these instances, which created obstacles for successful prosecutions. Observers reported many arrests did not result in prosecutions because of insufficient evidence, corruption, and interference of high-ranking officials.																																												PROTECTION						    																																															The government maintained minimal protection efforts. The government identified 58 human trafficking victims, all Burundi nationals identified abroad, which included 10 labor trafficking victims, one sex trafficking victim, and 47 victims for whom the form of trafficking was unspecified; this compared with 194 Burundi victims identified abroad in 2021. The government did not report identifying any victims in Burundi for the second consecutive year; however, it intercepted 20 potential child trafficking victims in Burundi en route to Tanzania. The government collaborated with a foreign government to repatriate 10 trafficking victims. The government provided consular and legal assistance to these victims, including providing travel documents and facilitating their return and reintegration into their home communities. A government report noted 676 Burundian women working in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as domestic workers, which included some trafficking victims, received consular support, legal services, and repatriation assistance between 2020-2022. International organizations identified 1,409 potential trafficking victims (25 sex trafficking and 1,384 labor trafficking) among migrant workers returning from abroad during the reporting period, compared with 1,380 in 2021. The government finalized its formal SOPs for victim identification and referral to care, which included specialized screening procedures for vulnerable populations. However, the government had not yet disseminated the SOPs or trained officials on the procedures by the end of the reporting period.The government reported it referred 10 victims to government and NGO-run shelters for care and assistance, compared with 174 victims referred in the previous reporting period. The government, in collaboration with international organizations and NGOs, offered comprehensive care services for trafficking victims, including temporary shelter, medical and psychosocial care, and legal assistance, to victims at six centers located in Bujumbura, Makamba, Muyinga, Rumonge, Gitega, and Cibitoke provinces. The government did not report how many trafficking victims were served at the centers. The government allocated 92 million Burundian francs ($44,980) to fund the centers. In addition to these six centers, the government used other centers, including IDP sites, as temporary shelters for trafficking victims repatriated from abroad. In partnership with an international organization, the government provided tailored assistance to trafficking victims ranging from immediate and basic needs to reintegration services. Access to services were largely limited to only these six centers requiring victims to travel to the provinces where the centers were located. To offset travel expenses to the centers, the government and its partners offered financial assistance to victims. The government operated four shelters specifically dedicated to vulnerable children, including trafficking victims – three in Bujumbura, and one in Ngozi province. The government also established a new foster care system comprised of host families to provide assistance to vulnerable children, including trafficking victims.The 2016 law for the Protection of Witnesses, Victims, and the Vulnerable outlined provisions for the protection of victim-witnesses. The government did not require victims to participate in criminal justice proceedings to receive protection services. The government reported 149 victims received victim-witness assistance; it provided victims alternatives to testify via video or written statements and took steps to protect confidentiality. The government reported police and local administrators escorted victims to their homes during reintegration with their respective families and provided counseling on mitigating potential discrimination or stigma from their communities.Burundian law allowed prosecutors to request restitution in trafficking cases; however, the government did not report awarding restitution during the reporting period. Due to inconsistent use of the newly established formal victim identification SOPs, authorities may have inappropriately detained or otherwise penalized some unidentified trafficking victims. The law provided foreign trafficking victims with legal alternatives to their removal to countries where they may face hardship or retribution, subject to judicial decision, and allowed the government to grant temporary residency; the government did not report providing this protection during the reporting period.																																												PREVENTION						    																																															The government maintained prevention efforts. The Consultation and Monitoring Commission on Prevention and Repression of Trafficking in Persons (Anti-TIP Commission) led anti-trafficking efforts and convened regularly; it expanded membership to include the Ministries of Health, National Solidarity, and Labor. The government continued to implement its 2019-2020 NAP, despite its expiration in October 2020; it completed a draft of its 2023-2027 NAP, which remained pending formal approval at the end of the reporting period. The Ministry of Labor conducted anti-trafficking awareness activities for local administrators, educational managers, and local NGOs. The government discontinued use of its dedicated human trafficking hotline, but operated other hotlines for crime victims, including victims of human trafficking, that could accommodate callers in Kirundi, French, and Kiswahili. The government reported it received 660 calls related to potential trafficking cases, but did not report how many victims it identified or cases it referred for investigations from the hotline.The government established new regulations for labor recruitment agencies to prevent exploitation of Burundians seeking employment abroad; and published a circular note to educate the general public on the regulations. The government lifted its suspension of labor recruitment agencies in July 2022, which was established in January 2021 to protect citizens from traffickers. Sources reported 19 recruitment agencies registered with the government. However, despite the new regulations, observers noted the government’s inability to ensure labor recruitment companies were not engaging in trafficking remained a significant concern. In December 2020, the Council of Ministers announced recommendations to prosecute labor recruitment agencies complicit in human trafficking; for the third consecutive year, the government did not report prosecuting such agencies. The government ratified two bilateral agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Qatar to enhance protections for migrant workers. The government initiated bilateral labor agreements with member states of the East African Community and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. The government increased border security and surveillance to identify and deter traffickers who cross via unofficial border crossings. The government increased efforts to reduce the demand for sex trafficking by increasing efforts to investigate buyers of commercial sex and inspect documents for adults traveling with children. The government provided anti-trafficking training to its diplomatic staff and, in partnership with an international organization, provided training to Burundian Embassy officials in Saudi Arabia on victim identification and case management. The government provided anti-trafficking training to its troops prior to their deployment as peacekeepers.																																												TRAFFICKING PROFILE:						    																																															As reported over the past five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Burundi and traffickers exploit Burundian victims abroad. Burundi continued to be a source country for victims who are subjected to labor and sex trafficking, both within the country and in destinations in East Africa, particularly Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, which can be final destinations or often serve as transit points to Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait. An NGO reported 414 Burundian girls and women were exploited in labor and sex trafficking in Gulf countries in 2021. Observers reported cases of Burundian migrants exploited in Gulf countries – such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, and Kuwait – significantly decreased compared with the last two years. Conversely, cases of Burundian migrants exploited in Southern African countries, such as Zambia and South Africa, significantly increased due to traffickers looking for alternative destinations. Most traffickers use land and public transport to leave Burundi and then fly from the neighboring countries to destination countries. Some undocumented Burundian migrants increasingly transit through Comoros, seeking to reach the French Overseas Department of Mayotte.As the result of a complex political, economic, and security crisis that began in 2015, by January 2023, nearly 260,000 Burundians remained in neighboring countries as refugees, including but not limited to Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, and South Africa. Since 2017, an international organization continued the voluntary returns and repatriation of more than 209,000 Burundian refugees. Observers reported some refugees, especially women heads of household, return to Burundi without adequate identity documentation, families to support them, or homes to return to, which increases their vulnerability to trafficking.In April 2020, Burundi experienced severe flooding that displaced more than 35,000 people; many were placed into, and have remained in, IDP camps without access to income-generating activities, increasing their vulnerability to traffickers. Observers reported an increase in fraudulent offers to work abroad. International organizations reported an increase in domestic human trafficking, especially of children, usually in domestic servitude and child sex trafficking. The government reported most Burundians work in the informal labor sector, including many children affected by abject poverty, and the inability of many youth to find employment. An NGO noted children are forcefully employed in the agriculture, forestry, fishery, and charcoal sectors. Observers report climate change, including sudden-onset disasters like floods and landslides, has led to displacement, poverty, and loss of work, increasing vulnerabilities to trafficking. Observers reported young boys and girls found work as street vendors, domestic workers, wait-staff, or construction laborers and were forced to work excessive hours, denied payment, and were sexually and physically abused. Government and NGOs reported sex trafficking of young girls from refugee and IDP camps is common as men from host communities promise gifts, pocket money, and tuition funds in exchange for sex.Due to regional instability, observers sporadically report recruitment of children as young as 15 years old by armed groups who force them to participate in anti-government activities. In 2018 and 2020, observers reported separating four and 10 Burundian children, respectively, from armed groups in the DRC; the children received assistance and were repatriated. Traffickers are increasingly using unofficial border crossings to transit to neighboring countries. Both economic necessity and coercion push children and young adults into all economic sectors, including domestic service, unregulated sectors, and the informal economy. Traffickers operate as networks and coordinate transnationally with victims’ relatives, neighbors, and friends, who recruit them under false pretenses to exploit them in labor and sex trafficking. Traffickers increased recruitment of Burundians working in Tanzania and the DRC.Traffickers recruited victims from their hometowns and were paid commissions upon successful recruitment; recruiters often were Burundians, but handlers, guides, and receiving personnel have been foreigners. Some families are complicit in the exploitation of children and adults with disabilities, accepting payment from traffickers who run forced street vending and begging operations. Media reported authorities, in one instance, mobilized a small number of citizens for forced labor in public works, such as hauling construction supplies for the beautification of the Intwari National Stadium. The government reported orphans are particularly at risk of labor trafficking in Burundi and in neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Traffickers fraudulently recruit children from rural areas for forced labor in domestic work and sex trafficking. Observers report traffickers recruit Burundian refugees in Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC for sex trafficking and labor trafficking. NGOs report that fishermen exploit some boys in the Lake Tanganyika fisheries in forced labor and some girls and young women in domestic servitude and sex trafficking in restaurants and bars around the lake. Traffickers exploit Burundian adults and children in forced labor in agricultural work, particularly in Tanzania. NGOs reported a significant number of children disappearing in border provinces, suggesting traffickers recruited them and potentially exploited them in cattle herding in Tanzania; an NGO reported 509 children from the Southern provinces returned to Burundi from exploitative situations in Tanzania. NGOs reported recruiters from neighboring countries frequently visit border towns in search of Burundian child workers. Observers alleged male tourists from East Africa and the Middle East, as well as Burundian government employees – including teachers, police officers, military, and prison officials – are complicit in child sex trafficking.International organizations report the Batwa minority, Burundians living in border provinces, and women – specifically young and Muslim women – are particularly vulnerable to labor trafficking and sex trafficking. Traffickers fraudulently recruit women and girls from poverty-stricken rural communities, particularly border provinces such as Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Kayanza, Kirundo, and Muyinga, for work in the Middle East, Tanzania, or Kenya as domestic servants. Traffickers fraudulently recruit some young adult Burundian women for jobs, but instead subject them to labor and sex trafficking in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Kenya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Yemen. Observers report victims transit through Kenya and Tanzania for short-term stays before reaching their final destination.																																				    							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- Burundi HomeReportsOffice of International Religious Freedom2022 Report on International Religious Freedom&#8230;Burundi				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Burundi																																					Office of International Religious Freedom																																																																																							Download Report																																																																																	 In this section										/																							Executive Summary																																													Executive Summary																															Section I. Religious Demography																																																																																		Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom																																																									Legal Framework																																																																											Government Practices																																																																																	Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom																																																																																		Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement																																																																																																								Executive Summary				The constitution defines the state as secular, prohibits religious discrimination, and provides for freedom of conscience and religion. The law requires religious groups to register with the Ministry of Interior (MOI) before operating.In order to register with the MOI, groups must meet certain standards, including a minimum number of adherents. In September, the government passed a law amending the 2014 law regulating religious groups, which included expanding government oversight over the registration, operation, and management of religious groups. While some religious groups voiced concerns regarding some of the contents of the new law, other groups expressed support. As of year’s end, however, the law had not been enforced or used as a basis for government action. Police did not enforce bans on nonaccredited religions. In July, police arrested and imprisoned approximately 26 followers of Eusebie Ngendakumana, considered a Catholic prophet by her followers, for holding a prayer session considered illegal by local authorities in Kirundo province. Two pastors from the Unity in the Holy Spirit Church (EUSEBU), a denomination with Pentecostal roots and a countrywide presence, were killed in Bujumbura’s Muha Commune on April 2, reportedly due to a struggle for control of the church, with police arresting 11 other EUSEBU pastors in connection with the killings.In January, the National Conference of Churches of Burundi (CNEB) organized a two-day workshop for representatives of different religious groups on the role of religious leaders in the development of the country. A Muslim nongovernmental organization (NGO) reported that young Muslim women were at higher risk of becoming victims of human trafficking.During meetings with government officials, the U.S. Ambassador discussed U.S. government engagement with religious leaders and other religion-related topics, including noting the strong leadership of local religious representatives in strengthening social cohesion and promoting peace. The Ambassador and other U.S. embassy officials met with key religious leaders, including from the Anglican and Catholic Churches and Muslim communities, to discuss ways to improve religious freedom in the country and confront challenges.																														Section I.													 Religious Demography												    																																															The U.S. government estimates the total population at 12.7 million (midyear 2022).  According to the 2008 national census (the most recent), 62 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 21.6 percent Protestant, and 2.3 percent Seventh-day Adventist.  Another 6.1 percent have no religious affiliation, 3.7 percent belong to indigenous religious groups, and 2.5 percent identify as Muslim.  The Muslim population lives mainly in urban areas; most are Sunni, although there are some Shia communities, as well as a small number of Ismaili Muslims in Bujumbura.  Groups that together constitute less than 5 percent of the population include the Church of the Rock, Free Methodists, members of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Orthodox Christians, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Eglise Vivante, Eglise du Bon Berger, Hindus, and Jains.  According to 2022 Ministry of Interior statistics, there are approximately 16,000 registered religious groups in the country.																																					Section II.													 Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom												    																																																Legal Framework										The constitution establishes a secular state; prohibits religious discrimination; recognizes freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; and provides for equal protection under the law regardless of religion. These rights may be limited by law in the general interest or to protect the rights of others, and may not be abused to compromise national unity, independence, peace, democracy, or the secular nature of the state, or to violate the constitution. The constitution prohibits political parties from preaching religious violence, exclusion, or hate. By law, all religious celebrations and prayer sessions must not cause harm to the natural environment and must respect public order.In September, the government passed a new law that superseded the 2014 law regulating religious groups. Key provisions of the 2014 law remain in effect, including requirements that religious organizations must register with the MOI and that each religious group applying for registration must provide the denomination or affiliation of the institution, a copy of its bylaws, the address of its headquarters in the country, a foreign address if the group is headquartered overseas, and the names and addresses of the association’s governing body and legal representative.The new law further requires that religious group facilities meet construction and sanitation requirements and prohibits activities during working hours without the Ministry of Interior’s authorization. Additionally, all religious groups must undertake an economic or social initiative such as establishing a school, health center, or another social or economic project. The law prohibits individuals on their own or within a religious denomination from professing themselves to be God and also prohibits the promotion of atheism.The new law additionally requires legal representatives of religious groups to be Burundian citizens, no less than 30 years old, and hold at least a bachelor’s degree. The law mandates that members of religious groups’ governing bodies be limited to a five-year term, renewable through democratic elections. The law gives the MOI the right to organize elections if religious leaders fail to do so at the end of their term. The law also includes a requirement that any religious group headquartered outside of the country conclude a framework agreement with the government and ensure traceability of all foreign funding.The law regulating religious groups provides additional registration requirements, including respect for environmental conditions, hygiene, public order, distancing, and noise pollution. According to the law, any independent religious group based in the country filing a registration application must have a minimum of 300 members to qualify. Foreign-based religious groups seeking to establish a presence in the country must have at least 500 members in-country to qualify. The law prohibits foreigners from being part of executive and decision-making committees of religious groups at the national level. The MOI provisionally grants legal status for up to two years while registration approval is pending, in order to ensure all requirements are met.The law on religious groups does not provide broad tax exemptions or other benefits; however, the financial laws exempt from tax those goods imported by religious groups if the groups can demonstrate importation of the goods is in the public interest. Some religious schools have agreements with the government entitling them to tax exemptions when investing in infrastructure or purchasing school equipment and educational materials.The MOI usually processes registration requests within two to four weeks. Leaders, administrators, or adherents of religious groups who continue to practice after registration is denied, or after the dissolution or suspension of a previously approved registration, are subject to six months to five years of imprisonment, a fine, or both.The official school curriculum includes religion and morality classes for all primary and secondary schools. The program offers religious instruction in Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam, although all classes may not be available if the number of students interested is insufficient in a particular school. Students are free to choose from one of these three classes or attend morality classes instead.The country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.																																				Government Practices										In a June presentation on the general situation regarding religious groups and non-profit organizations, the MOI noted that the number of religious groups in the country was rapidly increasing and stated that many are flouting the law while not contributing to the development of the country. The MOI’s permanent secretary therefore requested governors shut down churches that do not follow regulations. There were, however, no reports of governors taking such action during the year.Civil society and religious leaders contended the September amendments to the law on religions will result in fewer religious groups being accredited and many others having their accreditation revoked. The new law has elicited criticism, as well as support, from across the religious sphere. A leader of a protestant church and member of the Network of Christian Churches for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi expressed regret that the government did not request input from religious leaders to make the new law as suitable as possible. He further stated he believes the newly enacted provision allowing the ministry to organize elections of religious leaders is an attempt to interfere in religious groups’ operations. A representative of CNEB echoed that sentiment and added that provisions like the traceability of funds from foreign countries for the financing of religious denominations are likely linked to overarching foreign currency controls and other broad economic issues, rather than a specific regulation targeting religion.Media outlets reported that on July 30, police arrested approximately 25 followers of Eusebie Ngendakumana, also known as Zebiya, and detained them in a Kirundo prison on charges of holding a prayer session deemed illegal because the group is not accredited. Authorities released them after 10 days upon payment of 100,000 Burundian francs ($49) each. Ngendakumana, whom her followers described as a Catholic prophet, had a shrine at her home in Businde, in Kayanza Province, stating that she had regular visions of the Virgin Mary on the 12th of each month. Her followers, who had been deported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Burundi in 2020 after five years spent in the DRC’s South Kivu and North Kivu Provinces, said that the shrine is a holy pilgrimage site, but that they feared for their safety in Burundi. Community residents complained of noise levels and property damage caused by Ngendakumana’s followers, which led to physical altercations, resulting in police intervening and prohibiting followers from accessing the shrine. For six years, police have sought to locate and arrest Ngendakumana on charges of “inciting civil disobedience.” The group had not sought accreditation as a religious denomination because members stated they considered themselves members of the Catholic Church. Catholic leadership in country has stated publicly that Ngendakumana is not affiliated with the church.On April 2, two pastors from EUSEBU were shot in southern Bujumbura’s Muha Commune. Jean Gordien Niyungeko, EUSEBU’s legal representative in the country, died soon after being shot, and the head of EUSEBU’s branch in the United States, who was visiting Niyungeko, was taken to hospital but died the following day. Addressing the shooting, a police spokesperson announced that an unidentified criminal wearing military attire and carrying an AK-47 shot Niyungeko at point blank range outside the front gate of Niyungeko’s house. After preliminary investigations, police arrested 11 EUSEBU pastors, eight from Makamba Province and three from Bujumbura, but did not provide further details. Media sources unanimously pointed to a struggle for control of the church as the motive for the killings.Media reports indicated tensions within EUSEBU have been growing since November 2021, when two of EUSEBU’s founders, Joel Gahimbare and Laban Barankunda, fought over leadership of the church. The church’s council of pastors subsequently suspended both Gihimbare and Barankunda for three months. Barankunda, who was supported by the country’s ruling political party, protested the decision and reportedly asked the local administrator and party representative to harass and intimidate the members of the council who voted for his suspension. The council of pastors nevertheless voted to expel Barankunda from the church on March 5. Ignoring his expulsion, Barankunda ordained new pastors to replace those who voted to expel him and attempted to assume management of EUSEBU by force. Church members responded by organizing protests and physically blocking Barankunda and his newly appointed pastors from accessing the church, leading police and the National Intelligence Service to intervene in several clashes between the groups. Police arrested at least 10 pastors after the clashes, including four who were convicted for “undermining the internal security of the state.” The whereabouts and status of the cases of the other pastors remained unknown at year’s end.The country’s ruling political party organized monthly “thanksgiving crusades” on the last Thursday of each month in all provinces around the country and invited government officials, party members, religious leaders, and other notable local figures to attend. During the events, clergy from various churches gave prayers of thanks for the blessings the party and its members had received. Government officials delivered speeches that included references to scriptures and their applicability to events in the country, and recommended ways party members should improve their moral behavior on a personal level and as members of the party.Media outlets highlighted weekly visits by government officials to various churches throughout the year, including by President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Vice President Prosper Bazombanza, Speaker of the National Assembly Gelais-Daniel Ndabirabe, and President of the Senate Emmanuel Sinzohagera. In some instances, church leaders gave officials opportunities to preach about scriptures and moral issues. Senate President Sinzohagera also served as the legal representative of the Free Methodist Church.The government continued to grant benefits such as tax waivers to religious groups for the acquisition of materials to manage development projects. According to the Burundi Revenue Authority, the government also granted tax waivers for imported items such as printed religious materials, wine for masses or other religious services, and equipment to produce communion wafers. The revenue agency organized a meeting with religious leaders to explain the obligation to pay tax on commercial activities for their groups.																																					Section III.													 Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom												    																																															In January, CNEB organized a two-day workshop for representatives of various religious groups on the role of religious leaders in the development of the country.  During the workshop, religious leaders discussed how to engage their followers, especially among youth, to find creative ways to contribute to the country’s development.International and local organizations reported that young Muslim women were particularly at risk of forced labor and sex trafficking.  According to the representative of a local Muslim NGO, while many of the country’s victims of trafficking in persons come from Muslim communities, non-Muslims seeking employment abroad are also often forced to convert to Islam before being accepted to work in Gulf countries, the destinations for many of the country’s trafficking victims.On April 5, national police arrested pastors Audace Ndikumana and Vital Mpebera on charges of defrauding their followers.  Ndikumana and Mpebera, who lead the Faith Miracles Church and Good News Mission Church, respectively, promised their followers extremely high rates of return on funds deposited into an account managed by the two pastors.  Police apprehended the pastors as they were planning to flee after reportedly collecting almost one billion Burundian francs ($489,000) from their followers.																																					Section IV.													 U.S. Government Policy and Engagement												    																																															U.S. embassy officials engaged in discussions with a number of locally based religious representatives.  The Ambassador and other embassy officials regularly met with key religious leaders, including from the Anglican and Catholic Churches and Muslim communities, to discuss ways to improve religious freedom in the country.  The embassy encouraged community leaders, including political leaders and representatives of major faith-based groups, to support the acceptance of all religious groups as well as to promote interfaith discussion regarding the collaborative role that religious groups could play in disseminating a message of peace and religious tolerance to the wider population.  During meetings with government officials, the Ambassador discussed U.S. government engagement with religious leaders, explained the embassy’s project with the Inter Religious Council of Burundi, and noted the strong leadership of local religious representatives in strengthening social cohesion and promoting peace.During an August meeting with leaders of the Inter Religious Council of Burundi, composed of representatives from the country’s major faiths, the Ambassador and the religious leaders discussed the country’s top challenges and how religious groups could help address them.  The Ambassador also met with the secretary general of CNEB as part of the continued U.S commitment to encourage reconciliation between different faith groups.The embassy amplified its engagements on religious freedom and with religious groups though social media campaigns, such as in the following tweet: “Religious leaders play key roles in strengthening social cohesion, fostering peace &amp; laying the foundation for economic prosperity.  Proud to discuss these topics and U.S engagement to promote reconciliation within Burundi, with leaders from Burundi’s Interreligious Council.”																																				    							View report by:																				Afghanistan											Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											Azerbaijan											Bahamas, The											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bhutan											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Central African Republic											Chad											Chile											China (Includes Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, and Xinjiang)											Colombia											Comoros											Costa Rica											Cote d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cuba											Cyprus											Czech Republic											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France											Gabon											Gambia, The											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Guinea-Bissau											Haiti											Honduras											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iran											Iraq											Ireland											Israel, West Bank and Gaza											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kiribati											Kosovo											Kuwait											Kyrgyzstan											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Liechtenstein											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Monaco											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Nauru											Nepal											Netherlands											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Korea											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Peru											Philippines											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Russia											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											San Marino											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Solomon Islands											Somalia											South Africa											South Sudan											South Korea											Spain											Sri Lanka											Sudan											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Syria											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Tonga											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Turkey (Türkiye)											Turkmenistan											Tuvalu											Uganda											Ukraine											United Arab Emirates											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vanuatu											Venezuela											Vietnam											Vietnam											Yemen											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										Executive Summary																Section I. Religious Demography																																																	Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom																																							Legal Framework																																																						Government Practices																																																			Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom																																																	Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement																																																							Tags																					Bureau of African Affairs																								Burundi																								Office of International Religious Freedom																																Religious Freedom
- Burundi HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Burundi				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Burundi																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																								Transnational Repression																																																								Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies																																																																																																																		f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																											g. Conflict-related Abuses																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																								Academic Freedom and Cultural Events																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																			Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																																								Freedom of Association																																																																																																																		c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																											f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons																																																																											g. Stateless Persons																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																																												Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government																																																																																		Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																																																																																		Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Indigenous Peoples																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																											Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				The Republic of Burundi is a constitutional, multiparty republic with an elected government. The 2018 constitution, promulgated in 2019, provides for an executive branch that reports to the president, a bicameral parliament, and an independent judiciary. In 2020, voters elected President Evariste Ndayishimiye, members of the National Assembly (lower house), and commune councils. The government allowed the main opposition party to participate and campaign. The elections resulted in a peaceful transfer of power but were deeply flawed, with widespread reports of human rights abuses perpetrated primarily against members of the main opposition party. Numerous irregularities undermined the credibility of the process, in which international observers did not participate.The National Police of Burundi, which falls under the authority of the Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security, is responsible for law enforcement and maintaining order. The armed forces are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. The National Intelligence Service, which reports directly to the president, has arrest and detention authority. Civilian authorities at times did not maintain effective control over the security forces. There were reports that members of security forces committed numerous abuses.Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; forced disappearance; torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by or on behalf of the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; political prisoners or detainees; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; punishment of family members for offenses allegedly committed by an individual; serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media, including violence or threats of violence against journalists and censorship; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, including overly restrictive laws on the organization, funding, or operation of nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations; serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation; serious government corruption; serious government restrictions on or harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence, including but not limited to domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child, early and forced marriage, and other forms of such violence; crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons; the existence or use of laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults; and significant restrictions on workers’ freedom of association.The government took steps to identify, investigate, prosecute, and punish officials and members of the ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy, who committed human rights abuses or were involved in corruption. Observers, however, continued to report intimidation and violence by members of state security forces and their proxies throughout the year. Impunity for government and ruling party officials and for their supporters and proxies remained a problem.Some members of the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the ruling party, were involved in or responsible for numerous human rights abuses. Although they have no official arrest authority, they routinely assumed the role of state security agents and detained and turned over individuals to the official security services, in some cases after committing human rights abuses. The government investigated and prosecuted some alleged abuses by the Imbonerakure, although it did not do so consistently.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were numerous reports that the government or its agents, including police, the National Intelligence Service (SNR), elements of the Imbonerakure, and, in a few reported cases, military personnel, committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, often against perceived supporters of opposition parties or those who exercised their lawful rights. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) Ligue Iteka, which was banned in 2017, continued operating from outside the country and documented 232 killings by the end of August, as compared with 405 the previous year. Ligue Iteka and other human rights groups differed on the number of killings for which agents of the state or ruling party were likely responsible. The government’s restrictions on UN human rights monitors and NGOs and refusal to allow international human rights bodies authorization to enter the country made it difficult to determine responsibility for arbitrary killings or exact statistics. Security risks for local activists, witnesses, and victims also posed obstacles. Investigations and prosecutions of government officials and members of the ruling party who allegedly committed arbitrary or unlawful killings occurred but were rare. Responsibility for investigating such killings lies with the Burundi National Police, which is under the Ministry of Interior, Community Development, and Public Security, while the Ministry of Justice is responsible for prosecution.Media reported that bodies bearing signs of violence continued to be found in public places. Local authorities often buried them even if they were unable to identify the deceased and without investigating the cause of death and possible perpetrators, citing health risks to the local population due to a lack of mortuary facilities or ability to preserve the bodies. This made it more difficult for human rights organizations to document and differentiate between cases of human rights abuses and cases constituting ordinary criminal offenses. International human rights groups reported that bodies continued to be discovered regularly in different parts of the country, especially in Cibitoke Province, which borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to Ligue Iteka, 113 bodies were found between January and August in Cibitoke. In addition, human rights organizations reported numerous cases of disappearances, and it was difficult to determine how many of these were cases of forced disappearance or killings by or on behalf of the government. Some victims were found dead a few days after their disappearances with injuries indicating they had been executed. In its May report, Human Rights Watch noted that SNR agents, police, and the Imbonerakure killed, arbitrarily detained, tortured, and harassed persons belonging to opposition parties or suspected of working with armed rebel groups.Media reported an increased number of cases of local administrators and the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) members being held accountable before the justice system. Furthermore, CNDD-FDD leadership reportedly instructed the Imbonerakure to take responsibility for their own criminal actions.According to a Ligue Iteka report, on July 25, a group of the Imbonerakure beat and then killed Jean-Marie Mpawenayo, a member of the main opposition party, the National Congress for Freedom (CNL), in Bujumbura. The report indicated that the local representative of CNDD-FDD women’s league accused Mpawenayo of stealing money from her purse. Ligue Iteka sources reported that the Imbonerakure attempted to pressure Mpawenayo to join the CNDD-FDD to no avail, which might have triggered the clashes that led to his killing.A Ngozi court convicted three individuals on August 4, including Musafiri Niyonkuru, former head of the Imbonerakure in Ngozi Province, to life in prison for the murder of Bernard Nsabimana, a Ngozi resident. The three perpetrators were also ordered to pay 30 million Burundian francs ($14,900) in compensation to the victim’s family. Human rights activists welcomed the decision to punish an official widely considered “untouchable” like Musafiri, a powerful Imbonerakure figure implicated in many cases of human rights abuse in Ngozi Province, including enforced disappearances of opposition party members.																																				b. Disappearance										There were numerous reports that individuals were victims of politically motivated disappearances after they were detained by elements of the security forces or after kidnappings where the identities of the perpetrators were not clear. Lack of access to reliable reporting, however, caused in part by restraints on civil society, limited the ability of human rights organizations and researchers to gather complete data.The NGOs Ligue Iteka, Forum for Awareness and Development (FOCODE), and SOS Torture Burundi regularly reported disappearances, which were sometimes later determined to be killings when victims’ bodies were discovered. A victim’s last sighting was often at the time of abduction by the Imbonerakure, police, military, or the SNR. NGOs and media reported that persons suspected of collaborating with armed rebel groups, members of the CNL, and former members of the army were victims of enforced disappearances. FOCODE reported that other victims included returning refugees and former prisoners. As of August 30, Ligue Iteka documented 32 disappearances, compared with 56 in the previous year. It linked one disappearance to the Imbonerakure, two to police, 25 to the SNR, two to the military, one to a local official, and one to unidentified actors. FOCODE reported that statistics likely considerably underreport the true number of disappearances, as many victims’ families were either unaware of the victim’s disappearance or may have remained silent due to fear of reprisal.According to Human Rights Watch, the SNR, security forces, and the Imbonerakure disappeared real or perceived political opponents and persons suspected of having ties with Burundian rebels in the neighboring DRC. In addition, media reported cases of the Imbonerakure and other members of the ruling party becoming victims of human rights abuses for refusing to participate in the party’s activities. According to a March report by the Burundi Human Rights Initiative (BHRI), CNL members were the primary victims of disappearances, usually subject to abduction by SNR agents or police, rather than being arrested in accordance with the law. The BHRI reported that families gave up searching after a few weeks and organized burials for their disappeared relatives. Some of the missing persons reappeared, while others were found in prisons, awaiting trial. The BHRI reported that no information existed regarding security officials being prosecuted for their role in kidnappings.On February 9, Ligue Iteka reported that SNR officials kidnapped six Imbonerakure in Kirundo Province after they refused to participate in paramilitary training. As of August, their whereabouts remained unknown.In a press conference on April 28, police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye called on relatives to alert police in case of alleged disappearances and assured that police would initiate investigations. On May 25, police presented to the press eight individuals arrested for kidnapping and for demanding ransom. Nkurikiye said the accused, three police officers, one member of the military, and four civilians, were involved in many cases of extortion, kidnapping, and abuse of power. Observers opined that the press conference was an attempt to rebut the claims by human rights organizations that the government had disappeared these eight individuals.On July 13, Ligue Iteka reported that Salvator Horihoze, head of the SNR in Bujumbura Province, and Imbonerakure member Marius Bayisabe arrested Jean Paul Ndabacekure, a CNL member and resident of Mubimbi commune in Bujumbura Province. According to the report, Ndabacekure’s family searched in known SNR and police detention facilities but was unable to locate him. As of August, his whereabouts remained unknown.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The constitution and law prohibit cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, but there were numerous reports that government officials employed these practices.  NGOs reported cases of torture committed by security services or members of the Imbonerakure.  As of August 31, Ligue Iteka reported 38 such cases, down from 57 the previous year, attributing 33 to members of the Imbonerakure, three to police, and two to the SNR.  Media reported throughout the year that Imbonerakure members arrested, threatened, beat, tortured, or inflicted a combination of the former on CNL members.  There were also reports that government officials in prisons physically abused prisoners.  Human rights organizations reported numerous cases of torture against detainees at SNR headquarters in Bujumbura, as well as in unofficial detention centers in Bujumbura and other provinces.  The BHRI reported that suspected opponents, mostly CNL members, were tortured in SNR offices and held incommunicado for periods ranging from a few days to several months.  According to the BHRI, the SNR tortured their victims, mostly accused of collaborating with armed rebel groups, to extract confessions or get other information.In December 2021, the UN Committee Against Torture deplored authorities’ lack of cooperation in investigating individual complaints of abuses.  The committee reported that authorities had not opened investigations into any cases referred to the committee since 2017.There were some reports of investigations and prosecutions for serious abuses of human rights, although limited enforcement meant impunity in the security forces, including the Imbonerakure, the SNR, police, and military, remained a problem.  Media reported increased cases of state agents and members of the ruling party being arrested, detained, and sometimes convicted for acts related to human rights abuses.  Furthermore, the leadership of the CNDD-FDD reportedly instructed the Imbonerakure to take responsibility for their own criminal actions.  Media and human rights groups reported, however, that many state agents arrested were later released and that the outcomes of proceedings against those who remained in detention were uncertain.  Factors contributing to impunity included the ruling party’s reliance on the Imbonerakure, the lack of an independent judiciary, and reprisals against individuals reporting abuses.  There were no sufficient mechanisms to investigate human rights abuses committed by security forces.  Military members deployed to international peacekeeping missions received mandatory human rights training.Media reported that on April 4, the Imbonerakure tortured Stephanie Minani and her daughter Irakoze.  The Imbonerakure accused Irakoze of stealing 330,000 Burundian francs ($1,650) and reportedly beat her until she confessed to having taken the stolen money to her mother.  The Imbonerakure then tortured Stephanie Minani by tying her arms behind her back, hitting her, throwing her to the floor, and sexually assaulting her.  Stephanie was taken to the hospital in critical condition.  After pressure from the prosecutor’s office, the Imbonerakure agreed to pay for medical expenses but were not criminally charged.There were reports that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community were threatened, beaten, and arrested by local administrators and other citizens with the support of security forces (see section 6, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity).																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Prison conditions were harsh and life threatening due to gross overcrowding, food shortages, physical abuse, and inadequate sanitary conditions.  There were reports of lack of adequate medical treatment and prolonged solitary confinement in prisons and detention centers.  Conditions in detention centers managed by the SNR and in communal jails managed by police generally were worse than in prisons.  Human Rights Watch and several other organizations also continued to report that the SNR maintained clandestine detention facilities to which no independent monitors were granted access.Abusive Physical Conditions:  Gross overcrowding was a severe problem in eight of 11 prisons.  The Ministry of Justice’s Office of Penitentiary Affairs reported that, as of August 23, there were 12,754 inmates, including 6,913 pretrial detainees, held in 11 prisons and two juvenile rehabilitation facilities, the majority of which were built before 1965, with a designed capacity to accommodate 4,294 inmates.  The most crowded prisons were Muramvya (30 miles from Bujumbura), where the inmate population was at 827 percent of designed capacity, and Mpimba in Bujumbura, which was at 567 percent of designed capacity.  Of the 12,754 inmates, 582 were women and 164 were juveniles.  Of the 164 juveniles, 125 were convicted and 39 were pretrial detainees, in the two juvenile rehabilitation facilities.  There is a prison for women in Ngozi, although women were incarcerated in other prisons, as well.  Authorities commonly held pretrial detainees with convicted prisoners.The Office of Penitentiary Affairs reported no deaths during the year, although this was contradicted by media and NGO reports.  No information was available on the number of persons held in communal jails operated by police or in clandestine detention centers managed by the SNR.Prisons did not have adequate sanitation systems (toilets and bathing facilities), drinking water, ventilation, and lighting, and these conditions were especially acute in the Muramvya and Mpimba prisons.  Prisons and detention centers did not have accommodations for persons with disabilities.According to government officials and international human rights observers, many prisoners suffered from intestinal illnesses and malaria.  Available medical care was primarily limited to analgesics and other basic medications.  In June, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice signed an agreement to create and maintain health centers at prisons around the country; however, health services at these centers were mostly limited to dispensing medications.Each prison was required to employ at least one qualified nurse and received at least one weekly visit by a doctor, but prisoners did not always receive prompt access to medical care.  Inmates with serious medical conditions were sent to local hospitals.  There were reports of shortages of medicines in prison clinics.  The NGO Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT-Burundi), which was banned in 2017 reported that prisoners, particularly those held on politically motivated charges, had difficulty obtaining permission to seek treatment in hospitals outside the prisons, and those who did were discharged before they had fully recovered.There was no official information regarding cases of COVID-19 in prisons.  Authorities took some measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including allowing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide soap and hygiene-sensitization sessions in the country’s 11 prisons and two youth detention centers.Each inmate received daily rations of approximately 12 ounces of cassava, 12 ounces of beans, and, on some days, oil and salt.  Authorities expected family and friends to provide any additional food as well as other expenses such as clothing, toiletries, and some costs associated with medical care.  Economic stresses and skyrocketing prices in staple goods meant that families were often unable to provide the same food supplements as in recent years.  ACAT-Burundi and other organizations reported recurring food shortages in prisons, especially in Rumonge and Mpimba prisons in Bujumbura.  Although prison malnutrition was a concern, rates of malnutrition among prisoners were lower than among the country’s population.  Media and several other organizations also reported that prisoner-run bodies, which mainly included members of the ruling party, harassed, tortured, and in some instances killed prisoners held on politically motivated charges with the support or under the orders of the prisons’ administration, contradicting prison authorities’ reports of no deaths during the year.Administration:  Prison authorities allowed prisoners to submit complaints to judicial authorities without censorship, but authorities rarely investigated the complaints.  Anonymous complaints passed along to authorities by independent monitors were sometimes addressed.  There were reports of mistreatment of prisoners, such as physical abuse and long stays in solitary confinement, but no record that any abusers were held to account or punished.  During the year, prison authorities permitted visitors in all prisons, which had been suspended since 2020 in response to COVID-19.Independent Monitoring:  The government permitted monitoring by some independent nongovernmental observers.The government permitted visits requested by the ICRC, the African Union, and the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (CNIDH).  Monitors visited prisons, communal jails, and known SNR detention centers regularly.  Monitoring groups had complete and unhindered access to prisoners held in all official detention facilities but were unable to access clandestine SNR detention sites.Improvements:  In December 2021, President Ndayishimiye approved a program involving possible conditional release of convicted inmates who demonstrated good behavior and/or paid bail, as in the case of pretrial detainees.  The program also considered detainees not accused of murder or sexual violence as possible candidates for release pending their trials.  Some human rights organizations lauded the measure fr its aim of addressing both overcrowding and long pretrial detention periods.  According to ACAT-Burundi, authorities implemented President Ndayishimiye’s program to release pretrial detainees in Mpimba, Ngozi, Ruyigi and Muramvya prisons as of October.  ACAT-Burundi, however, criticized the measure for excluding prisoners accused of such crimes as threatening state security and tarnishing the image of the country.  Eight of the 11 prisons, including the women’s detention facility, benefitted by a steam-based disinfection campaign designed to reduce both germs and insects.  Telephone systems were also installed in all 11 prisons to supplement in-person visits.There were reports of multiple rehabilitation projects in various prisons, including sanitation facility, kitchen, and water distribution upgrades in Mpimba and Ruyigi prisons.  Gitega prison was fully reconstructed following the fire that erupted there in December 2021.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention and provide for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest and detention, but the government did not observe these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						Arrests require warrants issued by a presiding magistrate, although police may arrest a person without a warrant by notifying a police supervisor in advance.  Police have seven days to finish an investigation and present evidence before a magistrate but may request a seven-day extension for additional investigation.  Police rarely respected these provisions.According to the law, a magistrate must either order the release of suspects or confirm the evidence is sufficient for continued detention, initially for 14 days, and then for an additional seven days if required to prepare a case for trial.  Magistrates routinely failed to convene preliminary hearings, often citing heavy case backlogs or improper documentation by police.  Authorities acknowledged that the legal system struggled to process cases in a timely fashion and that lengthy pretrial detentions were common.Lack of transportation for suspects, police, and magistrates was a frequently cited reason for the failure to convene preliminary hearings.  This remained a problem in the eight provinces without prisons, where lack of transport prevented the transfer of suspects from the site of detention to the provincial court with jurisdiction over their cases.Judges may release suspects on bail but rarely did so.  They often released suspects on their own recognizance, however.  Suspects may hire lawyers at their own expense in criminal cases.  The law does not require legal representation and the government did not provide attorneys for those unable to afford one.  Detainees who were unable to pay for a lawyer were rarely able to access legal counsel.Some suspects were detained incommunicado.  The SNR denied lawyers access to detainees held at its headquarters in Bujumbura, and there was no known access to the SNR’s clandestine detention facilities.  Prisons have solitary confinement facilities, and detainees were sometimes held in solitary confinement for long periods.Arbitrary Arrest:  The law provides for a token monetary fine and imprisonment for 15 days to one year for any member of the security forces found guilty of involvement in an arbitrary arrest.  There were no reports that this law was applied.Human rights groups reported numerous arbitrary arrests and detentions, including some involving the Imbonerakure.  As of August 31, Ligue Iteka documented 221 arbitrary arrests, a decrease from 507 in the previous year, including 43 by the Imbonerakure, 153 by police, four by local administration officials, 20 by the SNR, and one by unidentified persons.  Ligue Iteka reported that authorities targeted members of the CNL and their supporters for their involvement in legitimate political activities.  Authorities often accused CNL members of organizing or participating in “unauthorized activities,” including the party’s anniversary celebration and the opening of new offices.  Authorities arrested several opposition party members after they fought with members of the Imbonerakure, who attempted to pressure them into joining CNDD-FDD.  According to media reports, authorities arrested many individuals under accusations of their collaboration with or support for armed rebel groups, often on the sole basis of political affiliation or ethnic background.  Media also reported increasing arrests of street children.Pretrial Detention:  Prolonged pretrial detention remained a serious problem.  By law authorities may not hold a person longer than 14 days without charge.  As of August, however, 54.2 percent of inmates in prisons and detention centers were pretrial detainees, according to the Ministry of Justice’s Office of Penitentiary Affairs.  Authorities held some suspects without formal charges.  According to the Office of Penitentiary Affairs, the average time in pretrial detention was approximately one year, but some individuals remained in pretrial detention for nearly five years.  In some cases, the length of detention equaled or exceeded the sentence for the alleged crime.  Inefficiency and corruption among police, prosecutors, and judicial officials contributed to the problem.  For example, authorities deprived many persons of their legal right to be released on their own recognizance because public prosecutors failed to open case files or the files were lost.  Others remained incarcerated without proper arrest warrants, either because police failed to complete the initial investigation and transfer the case to the appropriate magistrate or because the magistrate failed to convene the required hearing to rule on the charges.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary; but the government generally did not respect judicial independence or impartiality.  Serious irregularities undermined the fairness and credibility of trials, and in some instances, the outcomes of trials appeared predetermined by the government and powerful members of the ruling party.  There were reports of authorities who bribed or influenced members of the judiciary to drop investigations and prosecutions.  Media reported irregularities in criminal procedures, including warrantless arrests of political opponents and illegal extensions of pretrial detentions.  There were allegations that the Attorney General’s Office ignored calls to investigate senior figures within the security services and national police.  Prosecutors and members of the security services sometimes ignored court orders for the release of detainees after judges had determined there were no legal grounds for holding them.																Trial Procedures						The law provides for the right to a fair and public trial, but the judiciary generally did not enforce this right.  By law defendants are presumed innocent.  Panels of judges conduct all trials in public.  Defendants have the right to prompt and detailed information on the charges and free language interpretation, if needed, from the moment of being charged throughout the entirety of the appeals process, if necessary, although these rights were rarely respected.  Defendants have the right to a fair trial without undue delay and to adequate time and facilities to prepare a defense, although this occasionally occurred.  Defendants have a right to counsel but not at the government’s expense, even in cases involving serious criminal charges.  Few defendants had legal representation because few could afford the services of a lawyer.  Some local and international NGOs provided legal assistance to defendants.  Defendants have the right not to be compelled to testify or confess guilt, although there were reports that some detainees experienced torture designed to coerce testimonies.  Judges reportedly used confessions obtained under torture as a basis for convicting defendants.  Human Rights Watch and international media reported a growing number of cases of expedited trials that raised concerns concerning their fairness, since the defendants did not have time to prepare.  Such practices appeared to be particularly common in cases involving opposition party members.All defendants, except those in military courts, have the right to appeal their cases to the Supreme Court.  The government does not provide military defendants with attorneys to assist in their defense, although NGOs provided some defendants with attorneys in cases involving serious charges.  Military trials generally were open to the public but could be closed for reasons of national security or in cases where publicity might harm the victim or a third party, such as in cases of rape or child abuse.  Defendants in military courts are entitled to only one appeal.While many of the aforementioned rights were frequently not granted, no rights were systematically denied to persons from specific groups.  The inefficiency of the court system extended the appeals process for long periods, in many cases for more than a year.  The CNIDH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the UN Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa, organized mobile courts in Mpimba, Gitega, Ngozi, Rutana, Rumonge, and Ruyigi.  These hearings were designed to remedy the problem of judicial delays and allowed for the processing of 313 cases between May and August 2021.On May 10, a Ngozi court convicted 16 CNL members to 15 years in prison on charges of the attempted murder of Imbonerakure members following clashes between the two groups on April 25.  At least seven of the convicted CNL members were arrested and imprisoned, while the remaining members reportedly fled the province or country.  Media reported that those arrested and imprisoned were not allowed to appear in court or given the chance to mount a legal defense, a contravention of the country’s criminal procedures.  The confrontation between the parties occurred after Imbonerakure members attempted to pressure the CNL members to join the ruling party.  According to reports, the CNL members’ refusal to join the ruling party led the Imbonerakure to begin verbally and physically assaulting the CNL party, resulting in violence on both sides.  The Imbonerakure subsequently held at least two CNL members hostage for ransom and verbally and physically abused the village chief, a CNL member, when he attempted to intervene.  When some of the CNL members fled from Ruyumbu, the Imbonerakure and local authorities reportedly detained spouses and relatives of the missing members for up to a week and coerced other CNL members in the neighborhood to give information regarding the fugitives’ whereabouts (see also section 1.f.).  Human rights organizations criticized the proceedings, noting a lack of fair trial, and criticized the Public Prosecutor’s Office for not taking more time to investigate the incident and for appearing to side with the ruling party by failing to prosecute the Imbonerakure alongside the CNL members.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						No verifiable statistics were available on the number of political prisoners or detainees; estimates by human rights groups ranged in the hundreds.  The government denied incarcerating persons for political reasons, citing instead acts against state security, participation in a rebellion, or inciting insurrection.  Human rights groups stated that these charges were often a pretext for repressing human rights defenders and members of opposition parties.  Throughout the year, there were regular arrests and detentions of members of opposition parties, mainly from CNL, but also from other parties such as Sahwanya-FRODEBU.  Others, mainly young men, were arrested or detained under suspicion of having cooperated with armed rebel groups.  In many cases, political prisoners remained in prolonged pretrial detention, while other prisoners were released without explanation or, more frequently, after paying a monetary fine.  The government permitted visits requested by the ICRC and the CNIDH, including to detainees who human rights groups considered to be political prisoners.  Monitors visited known prisons, communal jails, and known SNR detention centers regularly.  Monitoring groups had complete and unhindered access to prisoners held in known detention facilities but were unable to access clandestine SNR detention sites.On August 28, the SNR arrested activist Floriane Irangabiye and accused her of espionage and collaboration with armed rebel groups.  According to media sources, Irangabiye traveled to Burundi from her home in Rwanda for a family visit and was arrested a few days later.  Irangabiye was known to partner with Burundian journalists in exile and was actively involved in debates organized by media outlets operating from outside the country.Lawyer Tony Germain Nkina appealed his 2021 conviction for threatening state security.  The Supreme Court overturned his conviction on December 7 and instructed the Ngozi Court of Appeals to review his case.  The Ngozi Court of Appeals acquitted him on all charges on December 20.  Nkina was released from detention on December 27 after spending more than two years in prison.  He was convicted in June 2021 and sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of one million Burundian francs ($497).  Nkina was charged with threatening state security by collaborating with rebel groups conducting attacks in Kabarore Commune, Kayanza Province, where he was visiting a client.  Observers criticized the proceedings due to a lack of evidence to support the government’s case.  International human rights organizations also believed that Nkina was arrested for his prior work as a representative of the Association for the Protection of Human Rights and Detained Persons, which was one of the leading human rights groups in the country until 2015.						Transnational Repression						The government attempted to intimidate or exact reprisal against members of diaspora populations by exerting bilateral pressure on another county. Bilateral pressure:  There were reports that for politically motivated purposes, the government attempted to exert bilateral pressure on another country aimed at having it take adverse action against specific individuals.  As a condition of normalizing bilateral relations with Rwanda, authorities continued to demand the extradition of individuals alleged to be responsible for the 2015 attempted coup and who sought refuge in Rwanda that same year.						Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies						Individuals and organizations may seek civil remedies for human rights abuses and may appeal decisions to an international or regional court.In 2015, the East African Civil Society Organizations’ Forum, which includes several Burundian organizations in exile, filed a complaint seeking to invalidate President Nkurunziza’s third term from 2015 to 2020.  In a decision dated November 2021 and made public in September, the East African Court of Justice condemned the country’s constitutional court for authorizing an “illegal mandate to President Nkurunziza.”																										f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The constitution and law provide for the right to privacy and require search warrants, but there were reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions. The law provides for warrantless searches when security services suspect acts of terrorism, fraud, trafficking in persons, illegal possession of weapons, trafficking in or consumption of drugs, or “infractions of a sexual nature.” The law requires that security services provide advance notice of warrantless searches to prosecutorial officials but does not require approval. Human rights groups raised concerns that the breadth of exceptions to the warrant requirement and the lack of protections provided in the law created risks of abuse. They also noted that by law, warrants may be issued by a prosecutorial official without reference to a judicial authority, thereby limiting judicial oversight of decisions by police and prosecutors.Police, SNR agents, and Imbonerakure members – sometimes acting as mixed security committees – set up roadblocks and conducted general vehicle inspections and searches. Members of the security forces also sought bribes in many instances, either during searches or in lieu of a search. They conducted search-and-seizure operations throughout the year without judicial or other appropriate authorization. The media outlet Radio Publique Africaine reported that its websites and social media platforms were blocked and inaccessible to the public in the country, unless using a virtual private network.Media and human rights organizations reported that police arrested and threatened family members of suspects they were unable to find for arrest.																																				g. Conflict-related Abuses										The UN Group of Experts reported in July that members of the Imbonerakure and the military conducted military operations in South Kivu Province in the DRC beginning in December 2021, assisted by Congolese armed groups acting as scouts or joining operations against the Burundian rebel group RED-Tabara. The BHRI and local media reported that members of the Imbonerakure, the military, or local allied Congolese armed groups engaged in abuses against Congolese civilians between December 2021 and July including extrajudicial killings, looting, extortion, and forced labor (see also the country report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo).According to the Conduct in UN Field Missions online portal, there were 11 open allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by the country’s peacekeepers deployed to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Two of the pending allegations were reported during the year, six were reported in 2021, one in 2019, one in 2016, and one in 2015. Of the 11 allegations, six concerned possible exploitative relationships with adults (between 2014 and 2019), four concerned alleged instances of child rape (between 2015 and 2019), and one involved both children and adults (in 2015). Two cases reported in the 2015-16 timeframe were substantiated in 2017. As of August, the government had not announced whether it had taken any measures to investigate or address the 11 cases that remained open and had also not yet reported actions taken regarding the substantiated 2017 allegation of the rape of a child, perpetrated in 2015 by a police officer deployed to MINUSCA.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The constitution and law provide for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, but prohibited certain types of expression.  While the government took some measures to loosen restrictions on members of the press and other media, restrictions imposed in 2015 continued and were applied to all press outlets.Freedom of Expression:  The law prohibits “defamatory” speech regarding the president and other senior officials, material deemed to endanger national security, and racially or ethnically motivated hate speech.  It is illegal for anyone to display drawings, posters, photographs, or other items that may “disturb the public peace.”  Penalties for disturbing the public peace range from two months’ to three years’ imprisonment, as well as fines.Violence and Harassment:  Journalists reported harassment and intimidation by the security services and government officials designed to prevent them from doing their work independently or covering sensitive topics.  Some journalists were required to obtain permission from authorities prior to conducting domestic, and in some cases international, travel.  Forces allied to the CNDD-FDD repressed media perceived as sympathetic to opposition parties, including print and radio journalists, through harassment, intimidation, and violence.  Most independent journalists fled the country during and after the political crisis and crackdown in 2015, and some remained in exile as of the end of the year.  The government detained or summoned for questioning local journalists investigating subjects such as human rights abuses, corruption, or security incidents.The Karusi provincial director of agriculture and livestock filed a complaint on July 8 against Pascal Kararumiye, a journalist with private media outlet Radio Isanganiro, accusing the journalist of disseminating false information.  The accusation followed the release of Kararumiye’s report of cows being slaughtered despite government restrictions regarding Rift Valley Fever.  Karusi authorities did not refute the information or provide further information on the case, despite the law’s provision that “each person has the right to reply to any broadcasted information.”  Karusi’s public prosecutor’s office twice summoned Karurimiye to appear and requested that he clear all future articles with the appropriate provincial authorities.On July 18, Pascal Ndayisenga, director of online media outlet La Nova, received death threats from Pascal Sebirego, a local administrator in Kiremba Commune, Ngozi Province, after La Nova published an article citing Sebirego’s involvement in serious cases of corruption, which led the president to order an investigation.  Ndayisenga went into hiding as of August but reappeared in public in September after Sebirego was arrested and imprisoned on charges of corruption.Censorship or Content Restrictions for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media:  The government censored media content through restrictive press regulations established by the National Communications Council (CNC), an organization nominally independent but subject to political control and widely regarded as a tool of the executive branch.  CNC decrees require that all journalists register annually with the body, limit the access granted to international journalists, and establish content restrictions on the products disseminated by outlets.  The CNC continued to monitor the press closely.  The CNC regulates both print and broadcast media, controls the accreditation of journalists, and enforces compliance with media laws.  The president appoints all 15 CNC members, who were mainly government representatives and journalists from the state broadcaster.There were reports that journalists were required to obtain permission from local administrations and in some instances gain clearance in order to release their articles.  Broadly interpreted laws against libel, hate speech, endangering state security, and treason also fostered self-censorship, including by journalists working for the national broadcaster.  Observers reported that most journalists working in the country exercised a degree of self-censorship or refused to cover topics labelled as sensitive, including high-level corruption, human rights abuses by government security forces or the Imbonerakure, and other subjects seen as critical of the government.Several journalists stated they were generally freer in their reporting online than via radio and other media more closely controlled by the government, particularly when posting in French or English rather than in local languages.  Two radio stations that were closed in 2015 continued to broadcast radio segments abroad and publish articles online.Libel/Slander Laws:  The law protects public servants and the president against “words, gestures, threats, or writing of any kind” that is “abusive or defamatory” or would “impair the dignity of or respect for their office.”  The law prohibits the public distribution of information that exposes a person to “public contempt” and provides penalties of imprisonment and fines for violations.  The penalty for being convicted of insulting the head of state is six months to five years in prison and a token monetary fine.  Some journalists and leaders of political parties and civil society stated that the government used the law to intimidate and harass them.National Security:  The law requires journalists to reveal sources in some circumstances and prohibits the publication of articles deemed to undermine national security.  Harassment in past years under national security provisions caused some journalists to self-censor during the year.Conviction of treason, which includes knowingly demoralizing the military or the country in a manner that endangers national defense during a time of war, carries a penalty of life imprisonment.  It is a crime for anyone knowingly to disseminate or publicize rumors likely to alarm or excite the public against the government or to promote civil war.Nongovernmental Impact:  Many members of the Imbonerakure collaborated with government security forces to inhibit freedom of expression.  In some cases, they were official members of mixed security councils, which consisted of police, local administration officials, and civilians.Actions to Expand Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Media:  On May 15, President Ndayishimiye organized a special press conference for locally based journalists that lasted four hours.  In sharp contrast with other public conferences with the president, there were no prior editorial meetings to verify or direct the questions and to designate in advance which journalists would ask them.  Instead, all journalists were given the opportunity to ask any questions they wished.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content except for the website of media outlet Radio Publique Africaine.  There were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority.  Direct access to Radio Publique Africaine’s website from within the country remained blocked; readers were able to access the website from abroad or by using a virtual private network.  On November 30, the government restored full public access to the independent media organization IWACU’s website, which had been blocked by the government since 2017.						Academic Freedom and Cultural Events						There were allegations, including by Freedom House, that hiring practices, student leadership elections, and grading at the University of Burundi were subject to political interference in favor of CNDD-FDD members and that University of Burundi professors intimidated students not aligned with the ruling party.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The government limited freedoms of peaceful assembly and association.																Freedom of Peaceful Assembly						The constitution and law provide for freedom of peaceful assembly, but the government did not always respect these rights.  The law requires political parties and large groups to notify the government in advance of a public meeting and at least four days prior to a proposed demonstration.  There were reports that opposition parties, primarily CNL, were prevented from organizing activities, including anniversary celebrations, meetings, office openings, and other public gatherings.						Freedom of Association						The constitution provides for freedom of association within the confines of the law, but the government severely restricted this right.A law requires that international NGOs deposit a portion of their budgets at the Bank of the Republic of Burundi and that they develop and implement plans to attain ethnic and gender balances in the recruitment of local personnel.  The law contains several clauses that give the government considerable control regarding NGOs’ recruitment and programming.  In December 2021, the Senate set up a special commission to investigate the ethnic makeup of international NGOs and state-owned enterprises, a practice the government indicated is required by the constitution.  Some ministries continued to pressure international NGOs during the year to provide information on the ethnicity and identity of international NGO employees.  Some international NGOs continued to express concern that the ministries’ intent was to exert control over hiring decisions or otherwise inappropriately influence international NGO operations.  On January 24, the Ministry of Interior introduced an identification card for all employees in the public and private sectors.  The application for the card, which requested information on gender, ethnicity, geographic origin, function, and date of employment, was sent to all heads of public and parastatals institutions and representatives of local and international NGOs.  The Ministry of Interior explained that the identification request was one of the recommendations from the investigation carried out by the Senatorial commission to examine ethnic makeup among employees.The law requires NGOs to register with the Ministry of the Interior (or with provincial governments if they operate in a single province), a complex process that includes approval of an organization’s activities from the Ministry of the Interior and other ministries, depending on the NGO’s areas of expertise.  Registration must be renewed every two years, and there is no recourse when authorities deny registration.  The law provides for the suspension or permanent closure of organizations for “disturbing public order or harming state security.”																										c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The constitution and law provide for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government at times respected these related rights.In-country Movement: According to several news sources, the government enforced the use of household logbooks, cahier or livret de menage, which listed the residents and domestic workers of each household in some neighborhoods of the capital. In numerous instances, police arrested persons during neighborhood searches for not being registered in household booklets. Local governments established checkpoints on roads throughout the country on a widespread basis, officially for the collection of transit taxes on drivers and passengers. The checkpoints were often staffed by police or members of the Imbonerakure. Checkpoints were also established for security purposes. There were frequent allegations that those staffing the checkpoints sought bribes before allowing vehicles to proceed. In some instances, members of the Imbonerakure were accused of using the checkpoints to deny free movement to individuals for political reasons, such as failing to demonstrate proof of financial contributions to the ruling party’s offices and activities. Refugees were required to obtain exit permits to travel outside refugee camps, and this law was generally enforced.Foreign Travel: Authorities required exit visas for foreigners who held nonofficial passports and who did not hold multiple-entry visas; these visas cost 48,000 Burundian francs ($24) per month to maintain. Most foreigners held multiple-entry visas and were not subject to this requirement.In response to trafficking in persons concerns, the General Immigration Authority, which is responsible for border security and issuing travel documents, increased vigilance before granting travel documents to target demographic groups, such as young women and unaccompanied children. In January 2021, the immigration authority requested that commercial airlines operating in the country stop accepting citizen passengers travelling to all Gulf countries until further notice due to concerns regarding human trafficking; a special authorization from the immigration authority is required for such travel. These restrictions, however, may have increased travel via irregular channels, as well as vulnerability to trafficking.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government generally cooperated with UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection and assistance to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum: The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees.Freedom of Movement: Refugees are required to obtain exit permits from the National Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons in the Ministry of Interior to leave refugee camps. Authorities consistently refused or limited exit permits, citing security concerns regarding possible collaboration between refugees and rebel groups in the DRC. Whereas exit permits previously allowed for several weeks’ absence, permits during the year were limited to three-day periods, and the number of permits issued decreased significantly. There were reports of refugees being briefly arrested and returned to the camps for leaving without an exit permit.Employment: There were reports that the government imposed restrictions on refugees’ ability to work after their status as refugees was official. The government does not permit refugees and asylum seekers to work in the formal labor market. UNHCR and camp partners implemented some livelihood programs, such as cooperative-led sustainable year-round gardens, mushroom growing, and small-scale soap making, and encouraged refugees to initiate income-generating activities. In response some refugees started hair salons, tailoring shops, and small markets inside their camps, although insufficient funds to promote their businesses and difficulties obtaining exit permits to sell their products outside the camps hampered their ability to expand their businesses.Durable Solutions: Continuing violence in the DRC prevented Congolese refugees from returning. Efforts begun in 2015 to resettle Congolese refugees in third countries continued.																																				f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons										The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated there were 84,800 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country as of April, of whom 56 percent were children. According to the IOM, 91 percent of IDPs were displaced due to natural disasters, while 9 percent were displaced for other reasons. Some IDPs reported believing themselves to be threatened because of their perceived political sympathies. Some IDPs returned to their homes, but the majority remained in IDP sites or relocated to urban centers. The government generally permitted IDPs at identified sites to be included in programs provided by UNHCR, the IOM, and other humanitarian organizations, such as shelter, education, and legal assistance programs, and promoted their reintegration.During the year, media reported cases of the Imbonerakure and local officials threatening to expel IDPs from their sites in Giheta commune in Gitega Province and Kabezi commune in Bujumbura on public interest grounds. Human rights groups denounced the apparent political motives behind the evictions. Media also reported harassment and arrests of IDPs in Ngozi, Kirundo, Kayanza, and Gitega Provinces accused of maintaining relations with armed rebel groups and opposing government orders.																																				g. Stateless Persons										According to UNHCR, an estimated 783 persons at risk of statelessness lived in the country. All had lived in the country for decades, originally arriving from Oman, and were awaiting proof of citizenship from the government of Oman. Most of those who remained at risk of statelessness had refused an offer of Burundian citizenship from the government if they could not get Omani citizenship. Stateless persons faced limited freedom of movement because they were ineligible for driver’s licenses and passports.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																																															The law provides citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage, but the government did not respect the law.																																				Elections and Political Participation										Recent Elections: In 2020, the country held legislative, communal, and presidential elections without international observers. The CNDD-FDD candidate, Evariste Ndayishimiye, won the election with 68 percent of the vote. The CNDD-FDD won absolute majorities in the National Assembly and Senate.The elections were deeply flawed with irregularities that undermined the credibility of the process, including blocking independent international observers. The government opened the political space slightly, allowing participation of opposition parties and permitting them to carry out campaign activities across the country. According to the 2020 UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, opposition parties cited irregularities during the vote tabulation process, including the expulsion of accredited party-affiliated monitors from voting stations. The international community and independent domestic organizations widely condemned the process as flawed, although domestic and international actors generally accepted the election outcomes. Several progovernment NGOs observed and validated the elections. The CNL rejected the results of the election and filed an appeal, which the Constitutional Court dismissed.The COI noted the presidential election was largely free of mass violence. There were reports of incidents of violence during the election campaign period, namely clashes between members of the ruling party and opposition party, which resulted in injuries and deaths in some cases. The COI stated that opposition parties and their members, mainly the CNL, suffered serious human rights abuses in the period preceding elections. There were reports of targeted killings, kidnappings, gender-based violence, torture, and arbitrary arrests. Media remained under strict control, and journalists were unable to carry out their duties freely. The CNIDH declared that incidents of human rights abuses were too insignificant to affect the credibility of results, as announced.The National Independent Elections Commission imposed restrictive conditions, such as limiting movement of locally based foreign observers and rejecting African Union and UN observers.Political Parties and Political Participation: The constitution outlines a multiparty system and provides rights for parties and their candidates including assurance for authorities’ noninterference in political parties’ affairs. According to the law, to qualify for public campaign funding and compete in the parliamentary and presidential elections, parties need to be “nationally based,” (i.e., ethnically and regionally diverse) and prove in writing they are organized and have membership in all provinces. The Ministry of the Interior recognized 39 political parties.All registered political parties regularly met through the National Forum of Political Parties, the minister of interior’s institution for political dialogue. In addition, President Ndayishimiye met regularly with leaders of political parties to discuss topics of importance to the country and sought their input. Government officials praised the discussion’s framework for promoting political unity, while critics argued it served mainly for publicity and did not touch on sensitive political topics.In its June report, the NGO Speech and Action for the Raising of Consciousness and the Evolution of Mentalities (PARCEM) pointed out that most political parties chose to remain silent or support the ruling party to avoid conflicts and for the possibility of obtaining benefits, such as employment opportunities.Political parties allied with the CNDD-FDD were largely able to operate freely. Media and human rights organizations reported abuses including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearance against political opponents, mainly CNL members, by the Imbonerakure and unidentified armed men in retaliation for political engagement and alleged involvement in armed rebel groups. Media reported that some CNL members were pressured to join the CNDD-FDD and that in some rural communities, the CNL was prevented from holding meetings and other activities, and their offices were ransacked or destroyed.The constitution includes restrictions on independent candidates, including a measure that prevents individuals from running as independents if they had claimed membership in a political party within the previous year or if they had occupied a leadership position in a political party within the previous two years. The constitution also provides that independent candidates for the National Assembly must receive at least 40 percent of the vote in their district to be elected, a standard that did not apply to candidates representing political parties. The constitution’s ban on coalitions for independents further constrained the options for unrecognized parties.Individuals often needed membership in, or perceived loyalty to, the CNDD-FDD to obtain or retain employment in the civil service and the benefits that accrued from such positions, including transportation allowances; free housing, electricity, and water; exemption from personal income taxes; and interest-free loans. Media and human rights organizations reported that individuals were forced to make payments – often with no legal basis – to support the CNDD-FDD on penalty of being denied access to public services and spaces or the issuance of administrative documents. In September, online media reported that former combatants against rebel movements in Bubanza Province claimed that only CNDD-FDD veterans were registered to receive benefits by the team sent by the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs.There were reports election observers aligned with opposition parties were not allowed full access to monitor elections.Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups: No laws limit the participation of women and members of minority groups in the political process, and they did participate.Women were not well represented in political parties. Some observers believed that tradition and cultural factors kept women from participating in politics on an equal basis with men.The constitution provides for representation in all elected and appointed government positions for the two largest ethnic groups. The Hutu majority is entitled to no more than 60 percent of government positions and the Tutsi minority to no less than 40 percent; however, a Ligue Iteka report published in June indicated the ethnic quota was not respected in many public institutions. The law designates three seats in each chamber of parliament for the indigenous Twa, who made up approximately 1 percent of the population.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government												    																																															The law provides criminal penalties for official corruption, but the government did not implement the law effectively.  There were numerous reports of government corruption during the year, including press and NGO reports that some high-level government officials engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.  The constitution provides for the establishment of a High Court of Justice to review accusations of serious crimes against high-ranking government officials, but the court did not yet exist.  As of year’s end, no high-ranking official had stood trial for corruption.Authorities undertook anticorruption initiatives, including dismissing, arresting, and in some instances prosecuting local officials and CNDD-FDD members involved in corruption and related activities.  In August President Ndayishimiye removed 40 magistrates from office following evidence of large-scale judicial corruption.  Later that month, the magistrates were convicted on corruption-related charges and handed sentences ranging from five to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay fines between 20,000 and 3.3million Burundian Francs ($10 to $1,640).  The Ministry of Interior was charged with leading anticorruption efforts as part of President Ndayishimiye’s anticorruption campaign.  The ministry continued a “zero tolerance toward corruption” campaign and kept suggestion boxes in all commune offices and government ministries to allow the population to report corrupt activities.  The minister of interior also maintained a toll-free telephone number to allow citizens to report corruption and malpractice.NGOs commended the president’s willingness to address corruption in the country but noted that the campaign had thus far produced few tangible results and that most of the steps taken were symbolic gestures.  In some cases, public servants were accused of misappropriation of funds without thorough investigations or judicial proceedings, and there were collective punishments that appeared arbitrary.  In other cases, officials dismissed for corruption were simply transferred to different positions.Corruption:  The public widely viewed police to be corrupt, and petty corruption involving police was commonplace.  There were numerous allegations of corruption in the government, including incidents related to the lack of transparency of budget revenue involving gasoline importation; the trading in influence and abuse of office or power; the mismanagement of public tenders and contracts, including in the health and mining sectors; misappropriation of public funds; customs fraud; and the appropriation of the country’s limited foreign currency reserves to finance imports.  In its April report, the anticorruption watchdog OLUCOME (Observatory for the Fight Against Corruption and Economic Embezzlement) highlighted instances of corruption, poor governance, misappropriation of public funds, irregularities in public contracts, poor leadership in state-owned enterprises, and mineral trafficking by members of the government.  OLUCOME concluded that money was diverted from public funds, citing state-owned enterprises, public procurements, and local administration as the top three sources of missing funds.  The report noted that approximately 70 percent of the national budget was devoted to procurement of supplies, as opposed to growth-promoting sectors, health care, and education, a weakness that provided ample opportunities for malfeasance.																																					Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																																															Domestic and international human rights groups struggled to operate in the face of governmental restrictions, harassment, and repression, and government officials were rarely cooperative or responsive to their views.  The law requires NGOs to register with the Ministry of the Interior, a complex process that includes approval of an organization’s activities.  Registration must be renewed every two years, and there was no recourse for organizations denied registration or renewal (see also section 2.b., Freedom of Association).  By law an organization may be suspended permanently for “disturbing public order or harming state security.”The government took some positive actions regarding NGOs, including allowing the return of OLUCOME president Gabriel Rufyiri in March after six years in exile.Numerous NGOs, especially those that focused on human rights, were banned or suspended during the 2015-17 timeframe.  Few of those NGOs had requested reinstatement since that time, and those who requested it were reinstated.  President Ndayishimiye invited all citizens in exile to return to the country, but as of year’s end none of these organizations had applied for reinstatement.  Ligue Iteka and other organizations continued to monitor the human rights situation from abroad.  Members of both recognized and unrecognized organizations reported being subjected to harassment and intimidation and took measures to protect the identities of their employees and sources.  Some international human rights NGOs reported requesting authorities allow them to visit the country, but authorities failed to respond to their inquiries.Retribution against Human Rights Defenders:  Media and other organizations continued to report that human rights defenders who remained in the country were subjected to threats, intimidation, and arrest.  Human rights organizations stated the positive gestures regarding civil society were generally ad hoc symbolic gestures and that the government took measures aimed more at strengthening its control over the activities and functioning of NGOs than at reopening the democratic space.  On March 14, the minister of interior stopped a joint OLUCOME and PARCEM press conference held to decry the ministry’s decision to ban auto rickshaws, motorcycles, and bicycles from most of Bujumbura and request a stay of implementation; the presidents of those two organizations were detained for under an hour before being released without charges.The United Nations or Other International Bodies:  The government generally barred UN or other international bodies focused on human rights access to the country and refused to cooperate with such mechanisms (see also section 1.c.).In October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution approving a special rapporteur to replace the COI as the mechanism for monitoring and reporting on human rights in the country.  Authorities refused to cooperate with the special rapporteur, including providing access to the country.  In June, the country’s ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council reiterated that “Burundi would not accept any mechanism or political attempts to interfere with the domestic affairs of sovereign states.”  Having not been allowed to visit the country, the special rapporteur’s report relied on secondary data including official publications, government statements, recommendations accepted under the Universal Periodic Review, information from treaty bodies and special procedures, as well as reports from NGOs, human rights defenders, the diplomatic community, UN agencies, and international organizations.  In September, the special rapporteur delivered his annual report, noting advances including authorities’ increased participation in international, regional, and subregional forums, as well as President Ndayishimiye’s encouraging statements to initiate judicial reforms and fight corruption.  The special rapporteur also highlighted increased efforts to combat trafficking in persons and successful refugee repatriations through implementation of tripartite agreements between Burundi, countries hosting refugees, and international organizations.  Nevertheless, the special rapporteur pointing out that despite advances, additional efforts were necessary to confront the problem of impunity and to strengthen institutions of accountability, notably within the justice sector and police.  The report asserted that a system to protect victims and witnesses of human rights abuses was needed.Government Human Rights Bodies:  Parties to the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement of 2000 committed to the establishment of an international criminal tribunal, which had yet to be implemented, and a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was adopted into law in 2014.  The TRC gathered testimony and conducted outreach activities under its mandate to investigate and establish the truth regarding serious human rights and international humanitarian law abuses committed in the country.  The TRC was also mandated to establish the responsibilities of state institutions, individuals, and private groups.Some NGOs and opposition party figures raised concerns that the TRC was deliberately focusing on the events of 1972 to favor a historical narrative posited by many of the Hutu ethnic group.  NGOs also raised concerns that in view of continued human rights abuses, political tensions, a climate of fear and intimidation, fears of retribution for testimony, and restrictions on freedom of expression, conditions were not conducive for an impartial or effective transitional justice process.  NGOs cited concerns that the participation of ruling party members in deposition-gathering teams could reduce the willingness of some citizens to testify or share fully their stories.  NGOs indicated that some of the TRC commissioners represented the interests of the ruling party and were not impartial and that a lack of qualified experts adversely affected the TRC’s ability to operate.  In December 2021, the TRC presented a report to the National Assembly and the Senate qualifying the 1972-73 events as a genocide.  The National Assembly approved the report and confirmed that the 1972-73 events qualify as a genocide against Hutus and attributed responsibility to the then government and the Union for National Progress (UPRONA) party.  On September 8, Olivier Nkurunziza, president of the UPRONA party, refuted allegations included in the TRC report regarding the party’s role.  According to Nkurunziza, the TRC should differentiate individuals’ decisions from the party’s decisions.  Nkurunziza also said UPRONA officials were among those killed.During the year, the commission launched a new series of investigations into human rights abuses that occurred during the colonial periods from 1888 to 1962, including killings of officials between 1955 and 1957.  NGOs criticized the move, which contradicted the TRC’s own stated plan to move forward chronologically after 1972 and subsequently address the events of the 1980s and 1990s.  NGOs believed that the focus on colonial periods validated concerns that the TRC was politically motivated and used its resources to advance the ruling party’s Hutu-centric political agenda, undermining its legitimacy.The Office of the Ombudsman has a mandate to investigate complaints regarding human rights abuses committed by civil servants, the judiciary, local authorities, public institutions, and any other public entities.  The office is also focused on the establishment of community mediation and conflict prevention mechanisms.  During the year, the Ombudsman undertook travel throughout the country to collect major concerns of the population and refer them to the appropriate institutions.The CNIDH, a governmental body charged with independently investigating human rights abuses, exercised its power to summon senior officials, request information, and order corrective action.  In February the CNIDH released its annual report to the National Assembly, highlighting an improved security situation, but reporting an increasing number of human rights abuses.  This was in stark contrast to previous annual reports, which did not report any human rights abuses.  The report noted 42 documented cases of abuses of the right to life, including 35 allegations of enforced disappearance, seven cases of torture, 45 cases of arbitrary detention, and 93 cases relating to violations of due process.  The report also noted abuses of the human rights of women and children, as well as labor, property, and education rights.  Civil society organizations, opposition parties, and other entities praised the CNIDH’s work denouncing human rights abuses in a difficult political context.  The CNIDH was active in promoting and defending human rights, increased interaction with the international community, advocacy to improve prison conditions, and a focus on general human rights topics like gender-based violence, internally displaced persons, trafficking in persons, and children and worker’s rights.  Nevertheless, some observers continued to raise questions concerning the organization’s independence and ability to work on politically sensitive cases without government interference.  The UN special rapporteur cited in his September report the need for systematic credible investigations.																																					Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence: The law prohibits rape against men and women, including spousal rape, with penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment. The law prohibits domestic abuse of a spouse, with punishment ranging from fines to three to five years’ imprisonment. The government did not enforce the law uniformly, and rape and other domestic and sexual violence were serious problems. Media reported increasing cases of killings related to domestic violence. On August 22, the NGO National Women’s Forum cited four cases of women killed by their husbands in Kirundo Province during a four-month period from April through August.A 2016 law provides for the creation of a special gender-based crimes court, makes gender-based violence crimes unpardonable, and provides stricter punishment for police officers and judges who conceal violent crimes against women and girls. As of August, the special court had not been established, and no police officers or judges had been prosecuted under the law.The National Police’s Unit for the Protection of Minors and Morals is responsible for investigating cases of sexual violence and rape as well as those involving the trafficking of girls and women. The government-operated Humura Center in Gitega and integrated centers in Makamba, Muyinga, and Cibitoke Provinces provided a full range of services, including legal, medical, and psychosocial services, to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.Sexual Harassment: The law prohibits sexual harassment, including the use of threats of physical violence or psychological pressure to obtain sexual favors. Punishment for sexual harassment may range from a fine to a prison sentence of one month to two years. The sentence for sexual harassment doubles if the victim is younger than 18. The government did not actively enforce the law. There were reports of sexual harassment but no data available on its frequency or extent and no evidence of arrests made under antisexual harassment laws.Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.The government provided free prenatal and postpartum services. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 29 percent. Health clinics and NGOs freely disseminated information on family planning under the guidance of the Ministry of Public Health. Faith-based clinics promoted the use of traditional family planning methods. Men often made the final decisions regarding family planning.The government provided access to sexual and reproductive health services including emergency contraception for survivors of sexual violence.The 2016-2017 Demographic and Health Survey estimated the maternal mortality rate at 548 per 100,000 live births. According to the Ministry of Health, severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, complications during delivery, and unsafe abortions were the leading causes of maternal mortality. Other causes included effects from disease, such as malaria, or were related to chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Mothers and pregnant women suffered from lack of access to adequate medical care, particularly in rural areas.The adolescent birth rate was 54 per 1,000 in 2019. Leading causes of high adolescent birth rates included high rates of poverty and widespread lack of reproductive health education. Ministry of Education policy requires pregnant girls to stop attending classes until one year after they give birth or if they provide medical records showing the pregnancy ended.There were reports of social and cultural barriers related to menstruation and access to menstruation hygiene that impacted women and girls’ ability to participate equally in society, including limits on girls’ access to education. Human rights organizations reported that lack of knowledge led to misconceptions, taboos, and negative cultural and social norms around menstruation. As a result, women and girls experienced negative health consequences and higher rates of school absenteeism and poor educational outcomes. Additionally, menstruation stigma prevented women and girls from seeking treatment for menstruation-related disorders or pain. They also refrained from taking certain jobs or were not able to work because of menstruation stigma.Discrimination: The law provides for equal status for women and men, including under family, labor, property, and nationality. Women faced legal, economic, and societal discrimination, including regarding inheritance and marital property laws. Traditional practices continued to control distribution of assets in favor of men and boys. A woman does not inherit her father’s land and was expected to work on and benefit from the land of her husband.By law women must receive the same pay as men for the same work, but the government did not effectively enforce the law (see section 7.d.). Some employers suspended the salaries of women on maternity leave, and others refused medical coverage to married female employees. The government provided only limited resources to enforce labor laws in general and did not enforce antidiscrimination laws effectively.The law requires unmarried couples who cohabit to legalize their relationships through church or state registrations.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The constitution provides that all citizens are equal in worth and dignity and that all citizens enjoy the same rights and are entitled to the same protections under the law. No citizens may be excluded from social, economic, or political life of the country based on his or her race, language, religion, sex, or ethnic origin. In addition, the constitution provides for representation in all elected and appointed government positions for the two largest ethnic groups (see section 3, Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups), as well as representation in parliament for the indigenous Twa. The government did not enforce the laws effectively.																																				Indigenous Peoples										The indigenous Twa numbered an estimated 80,000, less than 1 percent of the population, according to a 2008 government census, although NGO estimates ranged widely. They generally remained economically, politically, and socially marginalized, although the government did not discriminate in its legal recognition of the Twa. Twa communities collectively make decisions affecting their lands, culture, and traditions, without outside interference.By law, local administrations must provide free schoolbooks and health care for all Twa children. Local administrations largely fulfilled these requirements (see also section 3, Participation of Women and Members of Minority Groups), but there were reports of disproportionate lack of access to education for Twa children because they lacked civil documents required to enroll in school.																																				Children										Birth Registration: The constitution states that citizenship derives from one’s parents. The government registers the births of all children if done within a few days of birth without charge and on a nondiscriminatory basis. An unregistered child may not have access to some public services, including free health care for children younger than five and free access to basic education, according to UNICEF.Education: Education is tuition free, compulsory, and universal through the primary level, but students are responsible for paying for books and uniforms. Secondary students must pay token tuition fees per quarter; secondary school is not compulsory. Throughout the country, provincial officials charged parents informal fees for schooling at all levels (see also section 6, Women, Reproductive Rights). Girls suffered from lower school enrollment rates and higher dropout rates. Contributing factors included cultural norms that favored boys obtaining education and girls engaging in domestic and agricultural work at home, preparing for marriage, and early pregnancies.Child Abuse: The law prohibits violence against or abuse of children, but child abuse was a widespread problem. In June, the NGO Solidarity of the Christian Youth for Peace and Childhood reported that forced labor and sexual exploitation were the most common forms of child abuse. Also that month, the CNIDH organized a series of training sessions for government officials involved in children’s rights on the legal framework for juvenile justice as part of the CNIDH’s efforts to promote children’s rights.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The legal age for marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys. Forced marriages are illegal, although they reportedly occurred with frequency mainly due to economic pressures and early or unwanted pregnancy.Sexual Exploitation of Children: The minimum age for consensual sex is 18. The law prohibits commercial sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. There were no prosecutions during the year.Displaced Children: According to the IOM, there were 47,482 internally displaced children in the country as of April (see also section 2.f., Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons). Thousands of children were homeless throughout the country, some of them orphans. The government provided street children with minimal educational support and relied on NGOs for basic services, such as medical care and economic support. Independent observers reported that children who were homeless faced brutality and theft by police. Arbitrary arrests and detentions of persons, including children, living on the streets continued.According to the National Federation of Associations for Children in Burundi, nearly 300 beggars and street children were detained July 6-7 in Bujumbura in response to the government’s recommendation to remove all beggars from the city. According to the Ministry of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human rights, and Gender (Ministry of National Solidarity), adults detained during the police sweeps could be arrested and face up to two months in prison, while children were transferred to care centers before being reintegrated into their families. The ministry indicated that care centers would be established in all provinces to receive children before reintegration into their families and communities and that three care centers were already operational as of September. The ministry indicated 21 children had been reintegrated into their families and returned to school as of late June.																																				Antisemitism										No estimate was available on the size of the Jewish population. There were no reports of antisemitic acts.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization: The law penalizes consensual same-sex sexual relations by adults with up to two years in prison. There were no reports of prosecutions for same-sex sexual acts during the year.Violence against LGBTQI+ Persons: There were reports that government agents incited, condoned, and tolerated violence against LGBTQI+ persons. LGBTQI+ persons refrained from reporting such incidents to authorities or media because of stigma, a desire to protect their identities, and concern regarding prosecution of consensual same-sex sexual relations. There were no reports of official actions to investigate or punish those complicit in violence and abuses by state or nonstate actors.Discrimination: The law does not prohibit discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons in housing, employment, nationality laws, and access to government services such as health care. Some NGOs highlighted that stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQI+ community was disproportionately high. According to national educational policy, LGBTQI+ identity could be grounds for expulsion from school. Societal discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons was common. Antigay rhetoric was widespread, especially among politicians who condemned homosexuality in religious terms or declared it was imported from western countries. LGBTQI+ communities in the country reported that many LGBTQI+ persons entered opposite-sex marriages or moved to other countries due to social pressure and discrimination.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition: Legal gender recognition was not available. There were reports that fraud laws could be used against transgender persons and gender-diverse persons whose expressed gender did not match their legal documents.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices Specifically Targeting LGBTQI+ Individuals: Families and church groups frequently held prayer sessions to intended to “convert” LGBTQI+ persons into heterosexuals.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly: Same-sex sexual relationships are illegal, which effectively restricted public speech in support of LGBTQI+ topics. LGBTQI+ organizations did not register as such, instead identifying themselves with vague titles, such as an NGO supporting economic empowerment or development, to escape arrest. There was a limited ability to organize public events promoting LGBTQI+ matter or activities.																																				Persons with Disabilities										Persons with disabilities could not access education, health services, public buildings, and transportation on an equal basis with others. No legislation mandates access to buildings, information, or government services for persons with disabilities.The constitution prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities, but the government did not promote or protect their rights. Although persons with disabilities are eligible for free health care through social programs targeting vulnerable groups, authorities did not widely publicize or provide benefits. Employers often required job applicants to present a health certificate from the Ministry of Public Health stating they did not have a contagious disease and were fit to work, a practice that sometimes resulted in discrimination against persons with disabilities. The government did not provide government information and communication in accessible formats.The government supported a center for physical therapy in Gitega and a center for social and professional inclusion in Ngozi for persons with physical disabilities. The Ministry of Education has an inclusive education department to support schools with students with disabilities through teachers’ training and adequate school materials.																																				Other Societal Violence or Discrimination										Criminals sometimes killed persons with albinism, particularly children, to use their body parts for ritual purposes. According to the Association of Albinos without Borders chairperson, society did not accept persons with albinism, and they often faced unemployment and isolation. He added that children with albinism often failed in school primarily due to harassment, uncorrected vision problems, and lack of support from the education sector. He also said women with albinism often were “chased out by their families because they are considered as evil beings.” The government took steps to improve integration of persons with albinism into society and sensitize communities to promote antidiscrimination efforts, including creation of socioeconomic integration groups of persons with albinism that offered opportunities for loans and specialized health care.Abdul Igiraneza, a boy aged four with albinism, was kidnapped in the Bujumbura neighborhood of Kinama on January 29 and found dead two days later in Cankuzo Province, approximately 150 miles away. Media reported that his body had been mutilated, apparently for ritualistic purposes. Police quickly arrested six persons, which as of October resulted in two convictions for kidnapping and murder. The main suspect was sentenced to life in prison and a fine of 40 million Burundian francs ($19,900).The 2016-17 Demographic and Health Survey reported that HIV and AIDS stigma was not a concern in the country. A 2021 independent study reported, however, that HIV and AIDS stigma was widespread, and the most frequent manifestations of stigma included physical violence, verbal violence, marginalization, discrimination, self-stigma, fear and insecurity, and health-care provider stigma. The 2021 study noted less discrimination in the education and employment sectors.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provides for the right of workers to form and join independent unions with restrictions. A union must have at least 50 members. The minister of labor has the authority to designate the most representative trade union in each sector. Most civil servants may unionize, but their unions must register with the Labor Ministry, which has the authority to deny registration and require unions to provide information on the union administration. Police, the armed forces, magistrates, and foreigners working in the public sector may not form or join unions. Workers younger than 18 must have the consent of their parents or guardians to join a union.The law provides workers with a conditional right to strike after meeting strict conditions; it bans solidarity strikes. The parties must exhaust all other means of resolution (dialogue, conciliation, and arbitration) prior to a strike. Intending strikers must represent a majority of workers and give six days’ notice to the employer and the Labor Ministry, and negotiations mediated by a mutually agreed-upon party or by the government must continue during the action. Strikes and demonstrations are banned during elections. The ministry must determine whether the sides have met strike conditions, giving it, in effect, the power to prevent strikes. The law permits requisition of essential employees in the event of strike action. The law prohibits retribution against workers participating in a legal strike.The law recognizes the right to collective bargaining, but it excludes measures regarding public-sector wages that are set according to fixed scales following consultation with unions. The minister of labor designates the most representative employee organization by order. If negotiations result in deadlock, the minister may impose arbitration and approve or revise any agreement. No laws compel an employer to engage in collective bargaining. The law prohibits antiunion discrimination but allows termination of workers engaged in an illegal strike and does not specifically provide for reinstatement of workers dismissed for union activity.The government did not effectively enforce applicable laws, and penalties were never applied against violators. Resources for inspection and remediation were inadequate, and penalties were not commensurate with those under other laws involving denials of civil rights. Administrative and judicial procedures were subject to lengthy delays and appeals.The government placed excessive restrictions on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining and sometimes interfered in union activities. In January, President Ndayishimiye threatened to fire teachers participating in a strike movement announced by the Coalition of Teachers’ Unions for National Solidarity and the Defense of Socio-professional Rights to protest the government’s move to hold a test to select candidates for a professional development program. President Ndayishimiye stated, “Strikes can no longer exist in Burundi, anyone participating in a strike will no longer receive a salary and will be rated poorly.” He also warned that teachers who participated in the strike would be replaced with unemployed youth.Most unions were public-employee unions, and virtually no private-sector workers were unionized. Since most salaried workers were civil servants, government entities were involved in almost every phase of labor negotiation. The principal trade union confederations represented labor interests in collective bargaining negotiations in cooperation with individual labor unions.Most laborers worked in the informal economy. According to the Confederation of Burundian Labor Unions, virtually no informal-sector workers had written employment contracts.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										The law prohibits all forms of forced or compulsory labor, including by children. The penalty for conviction of forced labor trafficking was commensurate with penalties for other serious crimes. The government did not effectively enforce applicable laws. Resources for inspections and remediation were inadequate. Workplace inspectors had authority to impose fines at their own discretion. On September 1, five individuals were sentenced to seven years in prison for child trafficking. According to media, they were caught transporting 20 children to Tanzania for forced labor.Children and young adults were coerced into forced labor on plantations or small farms in the south, small-scale menial labor in gold mines, carrying river stones for construction in Bujumbura, working aboard fishing vessels, or engaging in informal commerce in the streets of larger cities (see section 7.c.). Forced labor also occurred in domestic service and charcoal production. According to children’s rights organizations, some children dropped out of school to work in fields or other family enterprises. Poverty was the major reason for child forced labor.Citizens were required to participate in community work each Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Although enforcement of this requirement was rare, there were sporadic reports that communal administrators fined residents who failed to participate, and members of the Imbonerakure or police sometimes harassed or intimidated individuals who did not participate, especially when senior officials attended the community work sessions.Also see the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										See the Department of Labor’s Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor at  https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings .																																				d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation										The law does not specifically prohibit discrimination against any group but rather provides for equal rights. The constitution recognizes workers’ right to equal pay for equal work, but women faced discrimination regarding pay and access to equal employment, and authorities did not prosecute any violations of this equal rights requirement. Women were excluded from some jobs, and a government decree prohibits women from performing in traditional drumming groups.The government did not enforce the law in all sectors, and penalties were rarely applied against violators. Some alleged victims of discrimination chose not to pursue claims due to retaliation by employers and lack of confidence in enforcement mechanisms to protect their rights. Much of the country’s economic activity took place in the informal sector, where protection from discrimination was generally not provided. Some persons claimed membership in the ruling party was a prerequisite for formal employment in the public and private sectors. Members of the indigenous Twa, who in many cases lacked official documentation, were often excluded from opportunities in the formal economy. Persons with albinism experienced discrimination in employment. Persons with disabilities and members of the LGBTQI+ community faced discrimination in hiring and access to the workplace.																																				e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws: The official minimum wages, unchanged since 1988, were below the official line of poverty. Prevailing minimum wages more reflective of labor market forces were below the international poverty line.The law limits working hours to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week, but there were many exceptions, including for workers engaged in national security, guarding residential areas, and road transport. Private security companies received guidance from the Labor Ministry allowing workweeks of 72 hours for security guards, not including training. There is no legislation on mandatory overtime, but premium pay is required for any overtime work performed. Foreign or migrant workers are subject to the same conditions and laws as citizens.Occupational Safety and Health: The labor code establishes appropriate occupational safety and health (OSH) standards for the workplace, but they often were not followed. Many buildings under construction in Bujumbura, for example, had workforces without proper protective equipment, such as closed-toe shoes, and scaffolding built of wooden poles of irregular length and width.Workers have the right to remove themselves from situations of imminent danger without jeopardy to their employment.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement: The government did not effectively enforce the law, and penalties were not commensurate with those for similar crimes. The Labor Inspectorate in the Ministry of Labor is responsible for enforcing the laws on minimum wages and working hours as well as safety standards and worker health regulations. The labor inspectors’ mandate was limited to the formal sector, except where international agreements extend the mandate to all employment. Inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions. The government did not hire sufficient inspectors to enforce compliance or allocate sufficient resources to address enforcement needs, such as that necessary for training and transportation for inspectors.The Labor Inspectorate is responsible for enforcing the laws on minimum wages and working hours as well as safety standards and worker health regulations. Violations of safety standards were reportedly commonplace, but there were no official investigations, no cases of employers reported for violating safety standards, and no complaint reports filed with the Labor Inspectorate during the year. The government did not report data on deaths in the workplace.Informal Sector: Labor laws apply to the informal sector, but they were not enforced. More than 90 percent of the working population worked in the informal economy, mostly in agriculture and as domestic workers, and thus lacked access to legal protections. Violations of wage, hour and safety regulations were common, but no cases were investigated or prosecuted.The law defines employers’ obligations on occupational health and safety and mandates that employers contribute toward health insurance, including for employees in the informal sector. The labor code provides protections for laborers in the informal sector, gives labor inspectors the power to refer violations of the code to police and courts, and creates the post of Medical Inspector of Labor, which is responsible for protecting the physical and mental health of workers.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																												Transnational Repression																																												Civil Judicial Procedures and Remedies																																																																																				f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																						g. Conflict-related Abuses																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																												Academic Freedom and Cultural Events																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																				Freedom of Peaceful Assembly																																												Freedom of Association																																																																																				c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																						f. Status and Treatment of Internally Displaced Persons																																																						g. Stateless Persons																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																				Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government																																																	Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																																																	Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Indigenous Peoples																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																						Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of African Affairs																								Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Burundi
- Combating Global Corruption and Human Rights Abuses Office of the SpokespersonOn the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day, the United States is taking the following actions to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse around the world.  These actions include financial sanctions, using Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Act, and four additional country-focused Executive Orders.  The actions also include visa restrictions pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2022 (Div. K, P.L. 117-103), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2023 (Div. A, P.L. 117-180) and pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).All property and interests in property of individuals or entities designated under E.O.s 14024, 13818, 13722, 13687, or 13553 that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.  Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt, all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited.  The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.Section 7031(c) provides that in cases where there is credible information that officials of foreign governments have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are generally ineligible for entry into the United States and must be either publicly or privately designated.  INA Section 212(a)(3)(C) provides grounds for the Secretary of State to exclude any alien whose entry he determines would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.Actions Taken for Significant CorruptionEl SalvadorConan Tonathiu Castro Ramirez (Castro Ramirez), Presidential Legal SecretaryPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Castro Ramirez for facilitating the cover-up of fraud by obstructing investigations into the misappropriation of public funds during the pandemic and for directly engaging in corrupt activities by using his office for personal financial gain.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is publicly designating Castro Ramirez for his involvement in significant corruption.  As part of this action, four immediate family members are also designated.Oscar Rolando Castro (Castro), Minister of LaborPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Castro for engaging in corruption and misappropriating public funds for his personal benefit.  Rolando used aligned unions to benefit himself and political allies in exchange for express processing of union credentials, among other benefits.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Castro for his involvement in significant corruption.  As part of this action, an immediate family member is also designated.GuatemalaAllan Estuardo Rodriguez Reyes (Rodriguez), Former President of CongressPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Rodriguez for using his political influence to award construction grants in exchange for financial kickbacks as well as offering bribes for votes on a bill in congress.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Rodriguez for his involvement in significant corruption.  As part of this action, one immediate family member is also designated.Jorge Estuardo Vargas Morales (Vargas), CongressmanPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Vargas for corruption related to contracts and operations at government-run ports. Vargas maintains influence at the port through bribery, creating blockades and strikes for personal profit.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Vargas for his involvement in significant corruption.  As part of this action, four immediate family members are also designated.Luis Alfonso Chang Navarro (Chang), Former Minister of Energy and MinesPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Chang for using his position to secure kickbacks.  Chang solicited bribes and other favors in exchange for not revoking licenses.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Chang for his involvement in significant corruption.  As part of this action, two immediate family members are also designated.HaitiRomel Bell, Former Director General of the General Administration of CustomsPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Romel Bell for abusing his public position by participating in corrupt activity that undermined the integrity of Haiti’s government.  As part of this action, one immediate family member was also designated.Rony Celestin, SenatorPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Rony Celestin for abusing his public position by participating in corrupt activity that undermined the integrity of Haiti’s government.  As part of this action, four immediate family members are also designated.MaliKarim Keita (Keita), Former President of the National Assembly’s Defense CommitteePursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Keita, and one entity controlled by Keita, Konijane Strategic Marketing, for involvement in corruption.  Keita used his position as chairman of the National Assembly’s Security and Defense Commission to embezzle defense spending, secure bribes, and redirect contracts to his associates.  Additionally, Keita used defense funds to bribe other officials in support of the 2018 re-election of his father, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who is the former President of Mali.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Keita for misappropriation of public funds.  As part of this action, two immediate family members are also designated.UkrainePavlo Vovk (Vovk), Chairman of the Kyiv District Administrative CourtPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Vovk for soliciting bribes in return for interfering in judicial and other public processes.  As part of this action, two immediate family members are also designated.Action Taken Related to Human Rights Abuses and ViolationsAzerbaijanKerim Heydar Alimardanov (Alimardanov), an official in the Main Department for Combating Organized Crime within the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs, known as the “Bandotdel”Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Alimardanov for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely torture of detainees in 2015 and 2016.BurundiAlain Guillaume Bunyoni (Bunyoni), a former Burundian officialPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Bunyoni for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights.Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)Border Guard General Bureau (BGGB)Pursuant to E.O. 13687, which authorizes imposition of sanctions with respect to the DPRK, the Department of the Treasury is designating the BGGB for being an agency, instrumentality, or controlled entity of the Government of DPRK or the Workers&#8217; Party of Korea.  DPRK state security agencies, including the BGGB, thwart escapes through tight border controls, including land mines and shoot-on-sight orders that have resulted in the deaths of numerous North Koreans.Two DPRK-related individuals and Seven EntitiesPursuant to E.O. 13722, which authorizes the imposition of sanctions with respect to the DPRK and Workers&#8217; Party of Korea, the Department of the Treasury is designating two individuals as well as seven related entities for providing material support to, acting on behalf of, or being owned by the DPRK’s government-run animation studio, SEK Studio. The targets are:  Kim Myong Chol, based in France; Everlasting Empire Limited, based in Hong Kong; Tian Fang (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, based in Hong Kong; Fujian Nan’an Import and Export Company, based in China; Limited Liability Company Kinoatis, based in the Russian Federation; and Funsaga Pte Ltd, based in Singapore; Deepak Subhash Jadhav based in India; Yancheng Three Line One Point Animation Co., Ltd, based in China; Quanzhou Yiyangjin Import and Export Trade Co., Ltd., based in China.GuineaAlpha Conde (Conde), former president of GuineaPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Conde for his connection to serious human rights abuse.  During Conde’s tenure, Guinean security forces engaged in serious human rights abuse, including extrajudicial killings, in the context of political protests surrounding the March 22, 2020, legislative elections and constitutional referendum.IndonesiaGodlief Mangkak Timbul Silaen (Silaen), former police chief of the then-East Timor region and commander of Indonesia’s Security Control CommandPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Silaen for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely the extrajudicial killing of civilians in East Timor (now Timor-Leste) in 1999.IranAli Akbar Javidian (Javidian), Kermanshah Province Commander of the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (LEF)Pursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Javidian for his connection to serious human rights abuse.  During Javidian’s tenure members of the LEF used excessive force against protestors, resulting in extrajudicial killings.Allah Karim Azizi (Azizi), warden of Rezaee Shah PrisonPursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Azizi for his connection to serious human rights abuse.  During Azizi’s tenure, prison guards have engaged in maltreatment of prisoners, including serious physical abuse.Ebrahim Kouchakzaei (Kouchakzaei), LEF commander in Chabahar, in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan ProvincePursuant to E.O. 13553, which authorizes the imposition of sanctions with respect to serious human rights abuses by the Government of Iran, the Department of the Treasury is designating Kouchakzaei for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Iran’s LEF.  He is the alleged perpetrator of a rape of a 15-year-old girl in mid-September 2022.Mohammed Reza Ostad (Ostad), warden of Bushehr PrisonPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Ostad for his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely the cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners.13 Iranian government officialsPursuant to INA Section 212(a)(3)(C), the Department of State is also taking action to impose visa restrictions on 13 current and former Iranian government officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the abuse, detention or killing of peaceful protestors or inhibiting their rights to freedom of expression or peaceful assembly, including through censorship via a country-wide internet shutdown in Iran.People’s Republic of China (PRC)Wu Yingjie (Wu), Party Secretary of Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR)Pursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Wu for his connection to serious human rights abuse in Tibet.  As the TAR’s Party Secretary from 2016 to October 2021, Wu directed government officials in the region to engage in “social stability” policies, which led to serious human rights abuse, including physical abuse and arbitrary arrests and detentions.Zhang Hongbo (Zhang), director of the Tibetan Public Security Bureau (TPSB)Pursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Zhang for his connection to serious human rights abuse in Tibet.  Zhang has been the director of the TPSB since 2018 through at least November 2022.  He has worked to advance the PRC’s goals and policies in Tibet as “Tibet’s police chief.”  During Zhang’s tenure, the TPSB engaged in serious human rights abuse, including arbitrary detention and physical abuse.Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Zhang for gross violations of human rights, namely arbitrary detention of Tibetans, which also amount to particularly severe violations of religious freedom.Tang Yong (Tang), former deputy director of the Chongqing Area Prisons in the PRCPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Tang for his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely arbitrary detention of Falun Gong practitioners, which also amount to particularly severe violations of religious freedom.Li Zhenyu (Li)Zhuo Xinrong (Zhuo)Pursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Li and Zhuo as well as a network of entities including Dalian Ocean Fishing Co., Ltd. (Dalian) and Pingtan Marine Enterprise, Ltd. (Pingtan), and over 150 vessels for their connection to serious human rights abuse.  Dalian- and Pingtan-owned and -operated vessels engaged in forced labor, involving withheld pay, physical violence, abusive working and living conditions, and meager food and water, which contributed to the deaths of crew members.PeruJosé Carlos Bertarelli Rodríguez (Rodríguez), a former commander of the Ayacucho Intelligence Detachment in PeruPursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Rodríguez for his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely torture between 1983 &#8211; 1985.PhilippinesApollo Quiboloy (Quiboloy)Pursuant to E.O. 13818, the Department of the Treasury is designating Quiboloy for his connection to serious human rights abuse. As the founder of the Philippines-based church, Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name (KOJC), Quiboloy took advantage of his leadership role within the KOJC to engage in a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape and other physical abuse involving minors as young as 11 years old from 2006 to at least 2020.The Russian FederationCentral Election Commission of the Russian Federation (Russia’s CEC)Pursuant to E.O. 14024, the Department of the Treasury is designating Russia’s CEC alongside its 15 members.  In September 2022, Russia’s CEC helped oversee and monitor sham referendums held in areas of Russia-controlled Ukraine that were rife with incidents of clear voter coercion and intimidation.  Additionally, Russia’s CEC conducts and oversees federal and local elections in Russia, including referendums.  For years, Russia’s CEC has touted as clean and transparent elections in Russia that have been riddled with irregularities and credible accusations that the Kremlin has carefully managed the results.Lyudmila Nikolaevna Zaitseva (Zaitseva)Pursuant to E.O. 14024, , the Department of State is designating Zaitseva, under Section 1(a)(ii)(F), for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.  Zaitseva was reportedly implicated in human rights abuses against civilians in Ukraine, specifically the kidnapping and forced relocation of children from Ukraine.Ochur-Suge Terimovich Mongush (Mongush)Pursuant to E.O. 14024, the Department of State is designating Mongush, under Section 1(a)(vi)(B), for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024. Mongush was reportedly implicated in human rights abuses against civilians in Ukraine, specifically torture.Oleg Yuryevich Nesterov (Nesterov), Russian Federation Presidential Administration officialPursuant to E.O. 14024, the Department of the Treasury is designating Nesterov for being directly involved in the planning for and implementation of filtration points in Russia-controlled Ukraine.Yevgeniy Radionovich Kim (Kim), Russian Federation Presidential Administration officialPursuant to E.O. 14024, the Department of the Treasury is designating Kim for being directly involved in the planning for and implementation of filtration points in Russia-controlled Ukraine.Marina Konstantinovna Sereda (Sereda)Pursuant to E.O. 14024, the Department of the Treasury is designating Sereda for working with the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Ministry of Internal Affairs to manage filtration points in Russia-controlled Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.Aleksey Valentinovich Muratov (Muratov), Official of the so-called DNRPursuant to E.O. 14024, the Department of the Treasury is designating Sereda for coordinating filtration point operations with so-called DNR leader Denis Pushilin.  In particular, Muratov has spearheaded the procurement of necessary equipment and technology to support filtration points in Russia-controlled Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.Sri LankaPrabath Bulathwatte (Bulathwatte), former head of a clandestine Sri Lankan Army platoon, known as the “Tripoli Platoon,”Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Bulathwatte for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely torture and/or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of Sri Lankan journalist, Keith Noyahr, in May 2008.VietnamVo Thanh Dung (Vo), former warrant officer at the Lagi Police Station Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the Department of State is designating Vo for his involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely torture, in January 1987.For more information about these designations, please see the following statements:https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1154https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1155