In a public statement of 25 August, a group of UN experts called for the release of Germain Rukuki, a human rights defender from Burundi who has been detained since 13 July 2017.

According to the experts, the decision to maintain M. Rukuki in detention without concrete indications of guilt seems arbitrary and conflicts with the country’s criminal code. In addition, the detention is part of an overall context of threats and harassment against human rights defenders in Burundi.

The statement is a joint action signed by Mr. Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Mr. David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and Ms. Annalisa Ciampi, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; and Mr. José Antonio Guevara Bermúdez, Chair-Rappourteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Click here to read the full statement.