| Summary: | "In 2009, at least 75 Burundians were killed by angry mobs who suspected them of crimes, ranging from petty theft to murder. Such killings rarely result in investigations, amounting to an implicit acceptance of mob justice by state authorities. State officials have been involved in some incidents of killings and beatings; they have contributed to them directly, for instance, by forming untrained 'security committees' permitted to operate at the margins of the law; or they have stood by and allowed mob justice to occur. When researchers from Human Rights Watch and the Association for the Protection of Human Rights and Detained Persons (APRODH) asked local residents why they so often took justice into their own hands, respondents said they had lost faith in a police force and judicial system that have been derailed by corruption, incompetence, and inadequate resources. When it comes to suspected criminals, the Burundi state has failed to abide by its obligation under international law to provide security for all citizens. Although President Pierre Nkurunziza has denounced mob justice, mixed signals, including from police officials who have attempted to justify the practice, have undermined his message. Human Rights Watch and APRODH are calling on the government to end impunity for perpetrators of mob justice, who should be held accountable like others responsible for serious crimes. The government should undertake a broad popular education campaign aimed at improving public understanding of the criminal justice system and discouraging mob justice. Finally, the government should address the failings in the police and judicial system that contribute to such killings."--P. [4] of cover.
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