A/HRC/45/32 have fuelled and even legitimized hostility towards members of the party. In addition, the party’s candidates have been arrested and prosecuted merely for criticizing local officials or authorities or their actions. 2. Independent observers muzzled Press 41. Journalists have been intimidated and threatened, including with death, to prevent them from doing their work independently or covering sensitive issues. Some have been forced to seek permission from local authorities to travel, especially within the country. The case of the four journalists of the Iwacu independent press group is representative of the problem; they were sentenced on 30 January 2020 to two and a half years in prison for “a failed attempt of complicity in undermining the internal security of the State” under articles 16 and 607 to 626 of the Criminal Code, for having gone to cover reports of an armed clash between Burundian soldiers and an armed group on 22 October 2019. They were immediately arrested when they arrived at the scene. Their conviction has been condemned by several independent United Nations experts.13 That notwithstanding, on 5 June 2020 the Ntahangwa Court of Appeal upheld the verdict. 42. The press continued to be closely monitored by the National Communication Council. In October 2019, the Council presented the Code of Conduct for the Media and Journalists in the 2020 Election Period, which obliges the media to work in synergy and prohibits the reporting of results other than those officially announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission or the use of opinion polls as a source of information. The fact that the Code was drawn up by the National Communication Council without consultation with professionals and that it de facto restricts freedom of the press has been denounced by the independent media. Human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations 43. The Government continued to make use of the judicial system to muzzle civil society. For example, on 4 February 2020, some 20 human rights defenders and journalists in exile opposed to a third term for President Nkurunziza went on trial in absentia and without their representation by counsel. Human rights defenders continue to be arbitrarily detained, including Germain Rukuki and Nestor Nibitanga, who were respectively sentenced to 32 and 5 years of imprisonment. 44. As a result of the measures taken in 2018 to increase control over foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and their activities, in February 2020 such NGOs were ordered to submit lists of their employees, including information on their ethnicities. On 20 March 2020, the Government announced that those that did not respect the ethnic balance would be “cancelled” and that inspections would be undertaken. 3. Population under control 45. Control of the population by the Imbonerakure, often based on intimidation, including forced recruitment into the CNDD-FDD party, has increased in recent years. With the electoral process, such practices continued, though they were directed more at the members of the CNL. 46. The fact that the Imbonerakure are everywhere in the hill districts and in the joint security committees is a matter of concern even within the Government. The permanent secretary of the National Security Council reiterated that the joint committees should not replace either the police or the judiciary, that they should not organize night patrols without the police and, above all, that they should be more inclusive so as to earn greater public trust. On 3 March 2020, the Minister of the Interior called for the suspension of marches organized by young people affiliated with political parties, who were chanting songs and slogans, until the beginning of the election campaign. 13 GE.20-10689 See https://news.un.org/fr/story/2020/02/1062201. 9