A/HRC/S-24/2 7. Strongly denounces all parties whose actions contribute to the persistence of violence and hinder the promotion of a peaceful solution to the crisis, including armed groups, such as the Imbonerakure; 8. Calls upon the Government of Burundi and other parties to refrain from any statements or actions that could exacerbate tensions and to publicly condemn any such statements so as to take into account the best interests of the country and to respect fully the letter and spirit of the Arusha Agreement, a backbone for peace and democracy; 9. Calls upon the Burundian authorities to undertake to protect the people of Burundi against unlawful acts of intimidation and violence, and to respect, protect and promote all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in line with the country’s international obligations, and to adhere to the rule of law and promote transparent accountability for all human rights violations and abuses; 10. Also calls upon the Burundian authorities to conduct thorough and independent investigations of serious violations and abuses of human rights so that all perpetrators, regardless of their affiliation, are held to account; 11. Further calls upon the Burundian authorities to ensure equitable political processes and to enable the holding of free, fair and transparent democratic elections; 12. Welcomes the efforts made at the regional and subregional levels, including by the East African Community and the Peace and Security Commission of the African Union, to monitor the situation of human rights in Burundi and to contribute to its improvement; 13. Expresses its deep concern about the difficult situation of the more than 220,000 Burundian refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries and the countless internally displaced persons, and calls upon receiving countries and the international community to continue to provide protection and assistance, while noting with satisfaction the progress regarding the voluntary return of refugees; 14. Welcomes in particular the urgent deployment and work of the African Union human rights observers to Burundi, the deployment by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights of a fact-finding mission to Burundi, and the final communiqué of 13 December 2015 of the fact-finding mission of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and calls upon the Burundian authorities to cooperate fully with these officials and to grant them access necessary to the discharging of their mandate; 15. Encourages the Government of Burundi to cooperate with the regionally led mediation to enable it to immediately convene an inclusive and genuine inter-Burundian dialogue involving all concerned and peaceful stakeholders, both those who are in Burundi and those outside the country, in order to find a consensual and nationally owned solution to the current crisis; 16. Decides to enhance the interactive dialogue on the human rights situation in Burundi, called for by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 30/27, at its thirty-first and thirty-third sessions so as to include the participation of other stakeholders, in particular representatives of the African Union, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, civil society and relevant special procedures addressing human rights in Burundi; 17. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to urgently organize and dispatch on the most expeditious basis possible a mission by independent existing experts: (a) To undertake swiftly an investigation into violations and abuses of human rights with a view to preventing further deterioration of the human rights situation; 5