IV. HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION

A. Major human rights violations and abuses

5. Gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence

38. The revised Criminal Code adopted in April 2009 by the Parliament criminalizes same sex relationship. In this context, on 5 December 2008, the Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Burundi, jointly with three other Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council, sent an allegation letter to the Government of Burundi, requested it to review the provision criminalizing homosexuality and to reconsider its decision on this matter, as it had undertaken during the Universal Periodic Review in December 2008. However, the provision has so far remained unchanged. The Independent Expert therefore observes that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation continues to pose a potential threat.

Link to full text of the report: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/16session/A-HRC-16-CRP1.pdf

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