Difficulties in accessing information and the safety of journalists

Freedom of expression and of the press are guaranteed in Burundi by various texts such as the 2005 Constitution, the 2015 press law and certain conventions that Burundi has ratified. It was after a long period of one-party rule that the 1992 Constitution enshrined multipartyism and press pluralism. One of the achievements of the advent of the democratic system in Burundi was that journalists could have access to diverse sources of information to inform the population. This right can, however, prove difficult to implement in times of crisis, as the administration through law enforcement tends to prevent journalists from collecting information deemed relevant on the ground. In Burundi, the security situation deteriorated after the outbreak of protests hostile to a third term for Pierre Nkurunziza in April 2015 because it was deemed unconstitutional by certain members of civil society and some opposition parties while the government and the parties relatives claimed that the mandate had been validated by the constitutional court.