Submission to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)
Burundi’s National Independent Human Rights Commission’s lack of independence merits examination
Dear Dr. Ammar Dweik,
The Burundi Human Rights Initiative (BHRI) and Human Rights Watch are deeply troubled by the lack of independence, credibility and effectiveness of Burundi’s National Independent Human Rights Commission (Commission nationale indépendante des droits de l’homme, CNIDH).
In light of the concerns described in this submission, and additional expressions of concern by the UN Special Rapporteur on Burundi and the UN Human Rights Committee regarding the CNIDH’s work and its lack of independence, we do not consider that the CNIDH complies fully with the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (the Paris Principles). We therefore recommend that the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) reconsider the CNIDH’s A status ahead of its next review scheduled for .