Burundi’s 2010 elections failed to consolidate previous democratic gains. Rather, increasing repression, executions, and extended detention of critical journalists and activists by the country’s ruling party are signs of an emerging one-party state. To protect democratic space and expression in Burundi, the attorney general should be provided more independence to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of political violence and the UN-appointed independent expert for human rights should be permitted to conduct regular assessments and reports.
