Burundi, notably the case of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa

Tabled by Judith Sargentini, Bart Staes, Michèle Rivasi, Barbara Lochbihler, Heidi Hautala, Bodil Ceballos on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

 for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

The European Parliament,

having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. Worried by the recent deterioration of the human rights situation in Burundi, in particular by the crackdown on opposition leaders, human rights activists journalists and the disputes around land issues, constitutional changes and claims that the youth group of the ruling party (Imbonerakure) are inciting violence against certain sector of society;

B. Whereas by the arrest of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa last May 2014 who is a leading human rights defender activist as the latest example of state repression in Burundi;

C. Whereas Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, head of the Association for the Protection and Defence of Prisoners and Human Rights (APRODH), is a prominent human rights activist arrested on the ground of “spreading information that could endanger state security;

D. Whereas Pierre Claver Mbonimpa's work is to be commended, who tirelessly defended and voiced the rights of vulnerable people and fought for justice in the country;

E. Whereas the current repression is taking place in the context of huge tension mounting ahead of the country’s 2015 presidential and parliamentary elections, which could potentially undermine the peace building processes and the progress that has been made so far;

F. Recalling that Burundi has experienced periodical political turmoil and decades of violent conflict and gross human rights violation; recalling also the elections in 2010 were marked by political violence;

G. Whereas the UN established a peace building force in in 2005 with the aim of creating effective mechanisms for long-term responses in preventing conflict and working towards sustainable peace;

H. Observing that fifteen years after a peace accord and the agreement to set up a Peace and Reconciliation Commission (RPC) to examine crimes committed since 1962, the RPC is not yet functional due to internal division;

I. Whereas Burundi is signatory of the Cotonou agreement whereby respect for human rights is an essential element of the EU and ACP cooperation of the Cotonou agreement

1. Condemns the continuing violation of human rights including political intimidation, harassment and arbitrary arrest of human rights activists,

2. Demand the release of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa and all other political and human rights activists;

3. Believes that the Burundian authorities have the responsibility to create peaceful and democratic environment in the country for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections and stop the violence linked to the electoral process as well as the harassment against perceived political adversaries;

4. Call on the Burundi government, opposition party leaders and civil society activists to do their utmost to support the Peace and Reconciliation Commission (RPC) in a democratic and transparent way in order to deal with the past crime and move forward to prepare the future;

5. Urges the Burundi government to respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights including the right to life and physical integrity, freedom of association and freedom of assembly,

6. Calls on Great Lakes countries to maintain a high level of commitment to jointly promote peace and stability in the region through existing regional mechanism and to intensify their efforts on regional economic development, paying special attention to reconciliation, respect for human rights, fight against impunity, establishment of better judicial accountability;

7. Calls on the EU to monitor the upcoming elections in Burundi in order to guarantee equal political playing field between the government and the opposition;

8. Instructs its president to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, African Union and the Burundi government