The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of above-mentioned Burundian parliamentarians, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/189/11(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 188th session (April 2011),

Recalling that the cases in question concern: (a) the murders of six members of the National Assembly between 1994 and 1999, which have remained unpunished to date; (b) the grenade attempts on the lives of eight members of the previous legislature which have likewise gone unpunished; and (c) criminal proceedings brought against four members of the previous legislature in which the length of preventive detention, the use of torture and the failure to respect the rules of equity have given rise to concerns,

Recalling also that, since many questions require clarification in a direct dialogue with the competent authorities, it has expressed the desire that an on-site mission may be conducted, convinced as it is that it would assist the Committee in progressing towards a settlement of this case, and that it has consequently requested the Secretary General to take the necessary steps to this end,

Considering that the National Assembly and the Burundian authorities gave their consent to the mission, which took place from 25 to 28 September 2011; considering also that the delegation enjoyed the full cooperation of the authorities, was able to meet the former parliamentarians in question and therefore fully accomplished its mandate,

1. Thanks the Burundian authorities for their cooperation; thanks in particular the Speaker of the National Assembly for all his efforts to facilitate not only the conduct of the mission but also more generally the settlement of the cases in question, in particular through the National Assembly’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians;

2. Also thanks the delegation for its work and awaits with interest its report;

3. Is confident that the authorities will meanwhile continue their work for the sake of a settlement of these cases, notably through the Assembly’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians; and encourages that Committee and the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to cooperate;

4. Requests the Committeeto continue examining the cases in question in the light of the mission report and to report to it at its next session, to be held during the 126th IPU Assembly (March/April 2012);

5. Requests the Secretary General to convey this resolution to the parliamentary authorities and to the sources of information.

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