A/HRC/42/49 46. The Commission has also documented cases of sexual violence, mainly gang rape and sometimes involving genital mutilation, committed in 2015 and 2016, which confirm its earlier findings. The trauma caused by such violence, and the fear of stigmatization, had prevented the victims from coming forward before now. 5. Civil liberties (a) Freedom of expression and information 47. The Government controls the dissemination of media outputs in the country through the National Communication Council, supposedly the independent media regulation body, which is in reality a tool for censorship. Many national and international news media have had sanctions imposed on them; recent examples include the radio station Voice of America, which was suspended indefinitely, BBC radio, which had its licence withdrawn, and Radio France Internationale, which received a warning. They are charged with having broadcast criticism of the Government or reports that contradicted official statements. Independent media are regularly accused of seeking to tarnish the country’s image and cause breaches of the peace. 48. The new law regulating the press, promulgated in September 2018, has contributed directly to the reduction of democratic space in the run-up to the elections. Among other requirements, it imposes an obligation on journalists to “publish only information that is balanced ... the source, reliability and accuracy of which have been established and carefully verified”.24 49. The Government treats any discourse not in line with attempt to destabilize the country or an attack on national discourse, songs and political statements inciting intolerance political formation other than CNDD-FDD are tolerated by the international organizations deemed unfavourable have also authorities. (b) official propaganda as an sovereignty. By contrast, and violence against any authorities. Statistics from been condemned by the Freedom of association and assembly 50. The degree of control exercised by the Government over the composition and activities of national and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has increased still further. All foreign NGOs have had to temporarily suspend their activities, from 1 October 2018, and reapply for approval. They have been required to pay one third of their annual budgets into the central bank of Burundi and to transmit to the authorities lists of their employees, indicating their ethnicity. The Government is now seeking to play a role in the recruitment of national employees of these foreign NGOs. National NGOs are strictly controlled, both their public statements and their projects and activities. For example, the suspension of the organization Parole et action pour le réveil des consciences et l’évolution des mentalités (PARCEM) for presenting a report critical of socioeconomic conditions, based on data from the World Bank, was confirmed by the Ministry of the Interior on 3 June 2019. 51. Efforts to force people, men for the most part, to join CNDD-FDD or the Imbonerakure have continued, notably the use of harassment, death threats, ill-treatment and even arbitrary detention. Such measures violate the freedom not to associate, which is the corollary of freedom of association. 52. Members of opposition parties have also been targeted, with a view to inducing them to cease their political activities. Furthermore, all activities of opposition parties are tightly controlled and restricted, particularly those of the Congrès national pour la liberté. Meetings of small groups of members of this party have been blocked and the participants arrested. 24 10 Burundi, Act No. 1/19 of 14 September 2018 amending Act No. 1/15 of 9 May 2015 on the regulation of the press in Burundi, art. 52. GE.19-13419