Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, regarding the worsening security situation in Burundi
It is with grave concern that I note the increasing risk of violence in Burundi, as well as the reported use of inflammatory language by political leaders and other actors in the country.
High-level officials in Burundi have reportedly issued an ultimatum prior to the launching of security operations, and have resorted in this context to highly troubling and incendiary rhetoric.
I recall that any person in Burundi who incites or engages in acts of mass violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging or contributing in any other manner to the commission of crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "Court") is liable to prosecution before this Court.
Burundi is a State Party to the ICC. Therefore this Court has jurisdiction over Rome Statute crimes committed by Burundian nationals or on the territory of Burundi.
I have informed the relevant Burundi authorities that I am ready to take further action if the situation so requires. Should any conduct in Burundi – whether by the Security Forces, militias or any armed group – amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide, no-one should doubt my resolve to fulfil my mandate so that the perpetrators do not go unpunished.
The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecution of the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Office of the Prosecutor has opened investigations in: Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur, Sudan; the Central African Republic; Kenya; Libya; Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. The Office is also conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Guinea, Iraq/UK, Nigeria, Palestine and Ukraine.
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Source: Office of the Prosecutor | [email protected]
Ndafise impungenge nyinshi kubera mbona Uburundi bushaho kunyerera bugira bugwe mu bukozi bw'ikibi hamwe n'amajambo aturira abanyapolitiki n'abandi bayobozi boba bariko baravuga.
Biravugwa ko bamwe mu barongoye Uburundi bo mu rwego rwo hejuru bamaze gutangaza igikorwa c'umutekano, ivyo bakaba barabivuze mu majambo y'agahomerabunwa kandi yuzuyemo urwanko.
Nagira nibutse ko umuntu wese uri mu Burundi akaba yishora mu bikorwa ruhonyanganda, hoba mu kubitegeka abandi, kubibosha, kubibashishikariza, canke mu gushigikira mu buryo ubwo aribwo bwose ikorwa ry'ivyaha Sentare Mpanavyaha Mpuzamakungu ("CPI" canke "Sentare") yemerewe gukurikirana, azorengutswa imbere y'iyo Sentare.
Uburundi twateye umukono ku Masezerano ya CPI. Ni ukuvuga rero ko iyo Sentare yemerewe gucira imanza abantu bagirizwa ivyaha amasezerano y'i Roma ateganya, boba abarundi canke abandi bose bobikorera ku gataka k'Uburundi. Naramaze kumenyesha abayobozi b'Uburundi babijejwe ko niteguye gukora ibikenewe mu gihe bizoba ngombwa. Abazoba bishoye mu ibikorwa - boba abacungera umutekano, insoresore zitwara gisikare canke umurwi wose ufise ibigwanisho - nk'ivyaha vyo mu ngwano, ivyaha vyibasira inyokomuntu canke ihonyabwoko, bamenye neza ko ntazotereka kurangurura amabanga njejwe, kugira izo nkozi z'ikibibi zizohabwe igihano kizikwiye.
Ibiro vy'Umushikirizamanza Mukuru wa CPI biratohoza kandi bigakwirikirana ivyaha vy'ihonyabwoko, ivyaha vy'agahomerabunwa n'ivyaha vyo mu ngwano, mu bwigenge no kutabogama. Muri iki gihe, iryo tohoza ririko rirakorwa aha hakwirikira : Ubuganda, Repubulika Iharanira Intwaro Rusangi ya Kongo, Darfur (Sudani), Repubulika ya Afurika ya Hagati, Kenya, Libiya, Côte d'Ivoire na Mali. Ahandi na ho biracabaririkiza ku vyabaye muri Afghanistan, Colombia, Géorgie, Guinée, Honduras, Iraq, Nigéria, Ukraine na Palestine.
Isoko : Ibiro vy'Umushikirizamanza Mukuru | [email protected]