A/HRC/36/54 notwithstanding the State’s obligation to take action.25 Moreover, Imbonerakure have made similar calls in various provinces. 7. Freedoms of association and assembly 55. Freedom of association continues to be restricted. Only two of the civil society organizations, mostly working on human rights-related issues, which had been suspended or whose accounts had been frozen by the Government in the latter part of 2015 have been able to resume their activities in Burundi. On 19 October 2016, the Ministry of the Interior announced the revocation of the licences of the Association burundaise pour la protection des droits humains et des personnes détenues, the Forum pour le renforcement de la société civile, the Forum pour la conscience et le développement, Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture (ACAT Burundi) and the Réseau des citoyens probes. Five days later, the same Ministry suspended the licences of the Coalition de la société civile pour le monitoring électoral, the Coalition burundaise pour la Cour pénale internationale, SOSTorture/Burundi (even though it was established abroad) and the Ligue Iteka. The latter’s licence was revoked on 3 January 2017 after it published a report on the deteriorating human rights situation in Burundi. The heads of the Coalition de la société civile pour le monitoring électoral, the Forum pour le renforcement de la société civile, the Forum pour la conscience et le développement and ACAT Burundi have been under international arrest warrants since 2015. 56. The Commission is concerned at the promulgation in January 2017 of a law on Burundian non-profit organizations, and another on foreign non-governmental organizations, certain provisions of which considerably strengthen the authorities’ control over the activities and resources of those entities. 57. Opposition parties cannot meet freely or carry out their activities in Burundi. Their members are under constant pressure to join the ruling party and many of them have been arrested, tortured or killed. 8. Freedom of movement 58. A number of persons have been arrested, ill-treated and, in certain instances, raped at roadblocks set up by police and Imbonerakure, or solely by Imbonerakure, near the borders, particularly with Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Others have been forced to pay large sums of money to police or Imbonerakure or have had their belongings taken. Some persons have been threatened, arrested or tortured for helping people to flee the country. Several members of the families of individuals who left the country have been threatened and some have been subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention or have been reported missing. 59. Some persons who have visited neighbouring countries, particularly Rwanda, have been arbitrarily arrested or tortured on their return to Burundi because the authorities allegedly accused them of collaborating with armed groups said to be based in those countries. 60. The Burundian authorities have taken measures that hamper freedom of movement, as exemplified by the “household record booklets” in which the head of each household is required to list all his dependants, as well as visitors. These booklets, which are inspected by the police during raids on homes, are allegedly intended to enable law enforcement officials to keep track of the population. In a general context of heightened surveillance by the authorities, this measure has the effect of discouraging professional or private travel. 9. Dysfunctions in the judiciary and other institutions 61. The Commission collected testimonies concerning undue pressure brought to bear on judges and prosecutors by their peers and also by members of the Government or the ruling party. Several lawyers have left the country, in some cases after receiving threats. According to the information available to the Commission, very few criminal proceedings 25 12 Article 20, paragraph 2, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. GE.17-13865

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