Burundi violence spirals toward point of no return, UN rights official tells Security Council

Published August 11, 2015

A top United Nations human rights official says the situation in Burundi has not yet reached the point of no return but is spiraling in that direction.

Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic told The Associated Press after briefing the Security Council that the five assassinations of members of the ruling party in the past two weeks are a "disturbing" new development. Violence usually targets opposition supporters.

President Pierre Nkurunziza was re-elected last month in elections widely condemned as unfair.

Simonovic says 94 people have been killed in election-related violence, at least 40 torture cases have been documented and there's "not a single case" of accountability for rights violations.

He says "the trends are very negative."

The council on Monday called for an immediate return to political dialogue.

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