A/HRC/33/37 Nations, to scrupulously monitor the situation20 and to take the steps necessary to prevent further mass violations. 77. The independent experts obtained evidence of several cases of the use of ethnically divisive language. For example, in July 2015 a Tutsi woman from Nyakabika was picked up by four men in police uniform in Bujumbura and taken to the woods. She was reportedly severely beaten, stabbed in the breast and raped by all four men. One of them reportedly told her: “I do this because I want you to carry my Hutu children.” H. Freedom of expression and association 78. As has been widely reported, Burundian civil society actors, notably human rights defenders and journalists, have been primary targets of systematic repression by the authorities. Below are just some of the cases that members of civil society organizations and media outlets have described to the independent experts. 79. On 23 November 2015, the activities of the 10 leading civil society organizations were “temporarily” suspended by ministerial decree, and the bank accounts of some of them, as well as of those of their executives, were frozen. 80. International arrest warrants have been issued against leaders of civil society organizations, namely Justine Nkurunziza of the Civil Society Coalition for the Monitoring of Elections, Pacifique Nininahazwe of Forum pour la conscience et le développement, Vital Nshimirimana of the Forum for Strengthening Civil Society, Gatogato John Vianney of the Association of Catholic Jurists in Burundi and Armel Niyongere of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture in Burundi. 81. Independent journalists have been subjected to harassment, death threats, arrests and torture and have had their offices closed or their equipment destroyed. 82. On 13 May 2015, following the attempted coup, men in uniform and Imbonerakure members reportedly used heavy weapons to attack the following independent radio stations: Radio publique africaine, Bonesha FM, Isanganiro and Renaissance Broadcasting. Shortly before, Rema FM, a radio station known to be very close to the Government, was destroyed by people protesting against a third term for the President, just after the announcement of the coup. 83. On 2 August 2015, the Burundi correspondent of Radio France Internationale and Agence France-Presse was arrested by the police as he was taking pictures at the scene of the assassination of General Nshimirimana, former Head of the National Intelligence Service and a man close to the President. He was taken to the National Intelligence Service headquarters, where a commander ordered that he be given the “daily ration”, in other words that he be beaten 100 times with a stick. He was eventually released and treated for a perforated eardrum, a broken finger, broken bones in the legs and toes, and internal bleeding. No investigations into the incident have been initiated to date. 84. On 13 October 2015, a reporter from a local television station was killed at the entrance of his house, allegedly by police officers of the Unit for the Protection of Institutions. His wife and two children were reportedly forced to kneel for over two hours beside the body, pending a decision on their fate. They were eventually executed, along with another relative, by the same people. 85. The Government argues that the situation is close to being normal, that stations have had their licences restored and that those that still have not had their licences restored have 20 14 See www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=54757#.V8UilU1f3cs.