Amnesty International says the Burundian government must halt its brutal clampdown on protestors or risk the situation spiraling out of control.
The protests that broke out on Sunday are against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in office.
Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa says it is alarming that people have been killed as a result of expressing their views about the electoral process.
Jackson adds that this sets a dangerous precedent at a time when the Government of Burundi should be prioritizing human rights in the run-up to the elections.
Several protesters have been killed and injured in Bujumbura, media houses closed, while an estimated 20,000 refugees have crossed into neighboring Rwanda, fearing an escalation of electoral violence.
