Burundi's Presidential Elections Held In A Vacuum Of Human Rights

The United Nations human rights office said Burundi's presidential elections of 21 July were held in a vacuum of human rights.

The representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Burundi Patrice Vahard said "we have all reasons to believe that human rights were put in parenthesis during the election."

The presidential elections were held under a backdrop of uncertainty in the country following the president Pierre Nkurunziza's decision in April to seek a third term. This had plunged the small east African nation into its biggest crisis since an ethnically charged civil war ended in 2005.

The OHCHR monitors observed violence in the days leading up to elections and recorded fear among the voters.

One incident included voters washing hands to remove ink allegedly in a bid to avoid repercussions for having voted.

The UN Human Rights Office in Burundi continued to call on the state to uphold human rights.

In the meantime, Burundi's electoral commission has announced that President Pierre Nkurunziza won a new term in office.

STORY: BURUNDI / ELECTIONS REAX
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 21 JULY 2015, BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI

SHOTLIST:

1. Pan right, city view
2. Pan left, observers approaching voting center
3. Med shot, observers
4. Med shot, queue at the polling station
5. Wide shot, interior of polling station
6. Med shot, observers and electoral staff
7. Med shot, observers ana electoral staff
8. Close up, electoral paper
9. Close up, agent
10. Med shot, voter casting a ballot
11. Tracking shot. voter taking back her card
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrice Vahard UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Representative in Burundi:
"In Bujumbura for example the night before we had had heavy shooting in several places. Has this contributed to fear or is it a sign of lack of respect for the right of the voters? The days to come will tell us more. But we have all reasons to believe that human rights were put in parenthesis during the election."
13. Various shots, voters washing ink from their fingers
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Noemie Crottaz, UN Human Rights Officer and member of the monitoring team:
"For me I was very surprised to see voters frantically washing their finger to get ink off. And when we asked them what they were doing it this, they claim they were doing it because of they are frightened of the possible consequences of having voted."
15. Zoom out, security outside a voting center
16. Wide shot, man in uniform voting
17. Tilt up, a man in uniform washing ink from his finger
18. Med shot, two men in uniforms washing ink off
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrice Vahard UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Representative in Burundi:
"The entire sub region, the Great Lakes sub region is looking at what is unfolding within Burundi as a trigger for either peace and stability in the entire sub region or for another cycle of instability. There are several elections that are happening soon. And it is important that an investment is made in safe guarding what had to be safe guarded in Burundi in order to also serve as a good example."
20. Close up, voting
21. Med shot, voter taking his card back
22. Close up, dipping finger into ink

DURATION: 02:52