wr2014_web_0

WORLD REPORT 2014public order and security, and political killings. While eliminating prison sentencesprovided under the old law, it imposes new, heavy fines.A draft law on public demonstrations and meetings, adopted by parliament butnot yet promulgated, and another on nongovernmental organizations, awaitingparliamentary debate, also raised concerns about possible restrictions of freedomof association and assembly. Amendments by the National Assembly tothe law on public demonstrations and meetings took into account many recommendationsby Burundian civil society organizations, but the draft retained theright of an administrative official appointed to attend public meetings to suspendor dissolve them to maintain public order.Transitional JusticeAt time of writing, parliament had not yet adopted a draft law establishing aTruth and Reconciliation Commission to cover crimes committed since 1962,despite assurances by President Nkurunziza that the commission would beestablished by the end of 2012. The draft law does not provide for the establishmentof a special tribunal to prosecute those accused of the most seriousoffenses.ReturneesAround 35,000 Burundian refugees, many of whom had been living in Tanzaniafor several decades, returned to Burundi between October and December 2012following an ultimatum by the Tanzanian government. Overall the returns tookplace peacefully, but there were tensions around property and land ownership,and controversy over some decisions of the National Commission for Land andOther Property, responsible for resolving such disputes.Key International ActorsBurundi’s Universal Periodic Review, which took place in January 2013, containedimportant recommendations on the protection of civil and political aswell as social, economic, and cultural rights. While welcoming progress in someareas, many governments raised concerns in the Human Rights Council aboutextrajudicial killings, impunity for human rights abuses, and restrictions on88