• Urgent Action

Urgent Action Update: Human Rights Defenders Sentenced to 10 Years (Burundi: UA 31.18)

April 30, 2018

Human rights defenders Emmanuel Nshimirimana, Aimé Constant Gatore and Marius Nizigiyimana were sentenced to 10 years in prison on 8 March. They are members of the Burundian non-governmental organization Words and Actions for the Awakening of Consciences and the Evolution of Mentalities (PARCEM). They had been charged with ‘threatening interior state security’ and using fake documents. Amnesty International considers them to be prisoners of conscience.

Human rights defenders Emmanuel Nshimirimana, Aimé Constant Gatore and Marius Nizigiyimana were sentenced to 10 years in prison on 8 March. They are members of the Burundian non-governmental organization Words and Actions for the Awakening of Consciences and the Evolution of Mentalities (PARCEM). They had been charged with ‘threatening interior state security’ and using fake documents. Amnesty International considers them to be prisoners of conscience. 1) TAKE ACTION Write a letter, send an email, call, fax or tweet:
  • Urging the authorities to release Emmanuel Nshimirimana, Aimé Constant Gatore and Marius Nizigiyimana immediately and unconditionally and to ensure that their convictions are quashed;
  • Calling on them to ensure that, until they are released, they have regular access to their family and lawyers of their choice;
  • Calling on them to ensure that, pending their release, they are protected from torture and other ill-treatment while in detention;
  • Urging them to stop the intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders.

Contact these two officials by 11 June, 2018:

Minister of Justice Aimée Laurentine Kanyana Ministry of Justice BP 1305 Bujumbura, Burundi Twitter: @AimeeLaurentine Salutation: Dear Minister

Chargé d’Affaires, Benjamin Manirakiza Embassy of the Republic of Burundi 2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 408, Washington, DC 20007 Phone: 1 202 342 2574 I Fax: 1 202 342 2578 Email: [email protected] Salutation: Dear Ambassador

2) LET US KNOW YOU TOOK ACTION Click here to let us know if you took action on this case! This is Urgent Action 31.18 Here’s why it is so important to report your actions: we record the actions taken on each case—letters, emails, calls and tweets—and use that information in our advocacy. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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