BRIEFING NOTES: (1) Haiti; (2) Afghanistan; (3) Burundi

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Marta Hurtado 

Location: Geneva 

Date: 21 March 2023 

Subject:        (1) Haiti

(2) Afghanistan

(3) Burundi 

1)         Haiti 

We are gravely concerned that extreme violence continues to spiral out of control in Haiti. 

Clashes between gangs are becoming more violent and more frequent, as they try to expand their territorial control throughout the capital and other regions by targeting people living in areas controlled by rivals. 

Since the beginning of the year, up to 15 March, a total of 531 people were killed, 300 injured and 277 kidnapped in gang-related incidents that took place mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to information gathered by the Human Rights Service of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti. 

In the first two weeks of March alone, clashes among gangs left at least 208 killed, 164 injured and 101 kidnapped. Most of the victims were killed or injured by snipers who were reportedly randomly shooting at people in their homes or on the streets. Sexual violence is also used by gangs against women and girls to terrorize, subjugate and punish the population. Gang members frequently use sexual violence against abducted girls to pressure families to pay a ransom. 

Students and teachers have been hit by stray bullets during gang confrontations and the kidnapping of parents and students in the vicinity of schools has surged, forcing many of them to close. Without the protective environment of schools, many children have been forcibly recruited by armed gangs. 

People are fleeing to escape the daily danger. As of mid-March 2023, at least 160,000 people have been displaced and are in a precarious situation, staying with friends or relatives and having to share meagre resources. A quarter of those displaced live in makeshift settlements, with very limited access to basic services such as drinking water and sanitation. 

Chronic instability and gang violence have contributed to surging prices and food insecurity. Half of the population does not have enough to eat, and in some areas, such as Cité Soleil, hunger has reached particularly alarming levels. 

During his visit to Haiti in February, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a wake-up call to the international community that has yet to be acted upon. His recommendations are more urgent than ever. 

The High Commissioner urges the Haitian authorities to immediately address the grave security situation. The National Police needs to be strengthened to be able to respond to the huge challenges it faces, in a manner consistent with its human rights obligations. People must be able to return to their homes under safe and dignified conditions. We call on the international community to support these efforts.

Authorities must also undertake a profound reform of the judicial and penitentiary system. 

To break the cycle of violence, corruption and impunity, all those responsible, including those providing support and finance to the gangs, must be prosecuted and tried according to the rule of law. The rights to truth, justice and reparations of all victims must be fulfilled. 

We also call on the international community to urgently consider the deployment of a time-bound specialized support force under conditions that conform to international human rights laws and norms, with a comprehensive and precise action plan. 

2)         Afghanistan 

This week, girls in Afghanistan should have been starting another year in secondary school with hope and aspiration. But for the past year, girls have not been allowed to attend Grades 6 to 12. We urge the de facto authorities to open schools to girls at all levels, as well as universities. 

The denial of a secondary school education and of access to university is manifestly discriminatory, profoundly distressing for girls and women, along with their families and communities, and deeply damaging to the country as a whole. 

The decision to deny girls and women their right to an education exposes them to violence, poverty and exploitation. Disempowering half of Afghanistan’s population is counterproductive and unjust. Structural discrimination such as this is also deeply damaging for the country’s prospects for future recovery and development. 

Education is a fundamental human right. As a State party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Afghanistan is obliged to ensure that everyone has access to an education. 

The de facto authorities have pledged that all women and girls will be allowed to go to school. Our Office urges that they honour this promise, without delay. 

3)         Burundi 

We are seriously concerned by the increasing crackdown on critical voices in Burundi following the recent detention of five human rights defenders and the imprisonment of a journalist. 

The human rights defenders – Sonia Ndikumasabo, Marie Emerusabe, Audace Havyarimana, Sylvana Inamahoro and Prosper Runyange – were arrested on 14 February in connection with their human rights work. On 15 March, the Court of Appeal upheld a High Court ruling to keep them in detention pending trial. 

The five have been charged with rebellion, undermining internal security and undermining the proper functioning of public finances. These charges appear to be based solely on their association with an international human rights NGO, Avocats sans Frontières. Working with a non-governmental organization, even one not registered in Burundi, is not – and should not be -  prohibited under Burundian law. 

This crackdown on civil society comes as we are also seeing an assault on press freedom in Burundi. An example of this is the case of Floriane Irangabiye, a journalist who has spent more than six months in prison simply for doing her job. She was arrested in August last year while visiting from Rwanda, in connection with a radio interview she did with two other foreign-based Burundians – a fellow journalist and a human rights defender. On 2 January 2023, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined one million Burundian francs (about USD 500) for allegedly undermining the integrity of the national territory.  

Suppression of civil society, often based on legislation inconsistent with the State’s human rights obligations, has been a consistent trend in Burundi since the 2015 electoral crisis, which forced many human rights defenders and journalists into exile. 

We urge the Burundian authorities to fully uphold human rights standards regarding freedom of expression and association, release these individuals and quash the charges against them that stem from conduct protected under human rights law. We further urge the authorities to create a safe and conducive environment for the work of human rights defenders and journalists, free from intimidation and retaliation. It is equally important to review laws on media and non-profit organisations, so they are in line with the international standards. 

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