APRODH and the Burundian Human Rights League Iteka have launched a joint programme focusing on the realities and irregularities observed in the treatment of detainees in Burundi.
Entitled “Realities Behind the Four Walls of Burundi’s Prisons,” the programme aims to document, episode by episode, specific situations in Burundi’s prisons in order to raise awareness among the authorities about the need to uphold the force of the law rather than the law of force.
The first episode focuses on the release of General Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni on health grounds. His case raises questions about equality before the law, particularly in light of the situation of other seriously ill detainees who reportedly continue to face difficulties accessing appropriate medical care or benefiting from similar measures.
The programme also highlights cases of detainees who have already served their sentences or have been acquitted, but who reportedly remain in prison. It therefore raises broader concerns regarding the enforcement of judicial decisions, personal liberty and respect for the fundamental rights of people deprived of their liberty.
Through this initiative, APRODH and Ligue Iteka also issue recommendations to the Burundian authorities, the judiciary, prison administration, CNIDH, international partners, civil society organisations and the media.
The overall objective is to promote equal treatment of all detainees without discrimination, ensure access to healthcare and strengthen respect for the rule of law in places of detention.
The programme will also include the regular publication of reports on the prison situation, as well as legal advice and support, where necessary, for the most vulnerable detainees.