A/HRC/S-24/2 Calling for the reinforcement of regionally led mediation efforts, including those of the East African Community and the African Union, calling also for consultations with the Government of Burundi and other stakeholders, and underlining the need to expedite the preparatory process of the dialogue, including the convening of a pre-dialogue consultation involving all relevant international facilitators, to ensure an adequate preparation of the inter-Burundian dialogue and its success, Expressing deep concern about recent extrajudicial killings and attempted killings, including those relating to the attacks of 11 December 2015, the killings of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa’s son-in-law in October and of his son in November, and the non-fatal shooting of Mr. Mbonimpa himself in August, taking note of the record of judicial process related to these incidents, and encouraging the Burundian authorities to allow or to conduct thorough and independent investigations of all such incidents, ensuring that all perpetrators of extrajudicial killings are brought to justice, Expressing deep concern also about the recent reports of suspension of more than 10 civil society organizations, the harassment of publishers of independent media, including of the newspaper Iwacu, and the ongoing closure of the radio stations Radio Publique Africaine, Isanganiro and Bonesha since June 2015, and urging the Burundian authorities to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment in which journalists and civil society can operate free from hindrance and insecurity, Reaffirming that all States Members of the Human Rights Council should uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, and urging the Government of Burundi to be mindful of these standards, 1. Expresses its deep concern about the deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation in Burundi, and underscores that the promotion and protection of human rights should remain central to any solution to the crisis in Burundi; 2. Calls upon the Government of Burundi to respect, protect and guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in line with the country’s international obligations, to adhere to the rule of law and undertake transparent accountability for acts of violence, and to cooperate fully with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the fulfilment of its mandate; 3. Strongly urges all actors to create a climate conducive to the promotion of a genuine and inclusive dialogue, including the meaningful participation of women, based on respect of the Arusha Agreement in order to reach a consensual political solution which would aim to preserve peace, strengthen democracy and ensure the enjoyment of human rights for all in Burundi; 4. Strongly condemns the ongoing serious violations and abuses of human rights in Burundi by all actors, particularly the restrictions on freedom of expression, including of the media, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and those involving excessive use of force by the security forces against demonstrators and other civilians, including the use of live ammunition against protesters, resulting in deaths, extrajudicial killings, the arbitrary detention of protesters, acts of torture and ill-treatment against detainees, the harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders, members of the opposition and journalists, including by armed youth groups affiliated with political parties, including the majority party, and retributive acts of violence, including targeted assassinations, and the climate of impunity in which these acts are committed; 5. Reiterates its firm condemnation of all violations and abuses of human rights by all parties, and of the incendiary statements of some actors in the country; 6. Deplores that recent weeks have witnessed a worrying resurgence in and escalation of violence and a drastic increase in human rights violations and abuses; 4