Germain Rukuki
Germain Rukuki is a human rights defender working for Association des juristes catholiques du Burundi – AJCB (Association of Catholic Jurists of Burundi). He previously worked for Action des chrétiens pour l'abolition de la torture – ACAT-Burundi (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture) which fights for the respect of human dignity in Burundi, and particularly for the abolition of torture and the death penalty. ACAT-Burundi was suspended by the government in November 2015 as part of its clampdown on civil society organisations.
In Burundi, the targeting of human rights defenders (HRDs) through the use of violence or the threat of violence has been a worrying trend, in addition to the use of repressive legislation as a means of curtailing their work. Defamation, terrorism and anti-corruption legislation have been used against members of civil society. HRDs denouncing acts of corruption and embezzlement involving public authorities, and those fighting impunity have been subjected to judicial harassment, death threats, defamation and intimidation. HRDs denouncing extrajudicial killings have been charged with support to armed bandits.
