With the deepest regret, after twenty uninterrupted years in Burundi, we must close our offices in Bujumbura and leave the country on 31 December 2018.

At the start of March, the first discussion workshop was held with ninety lawyers from the two bar associations of Burundi, selected to take part in the ASF “Menya Utunganirwe” project. The main objective was to raise awareness among the lawyers of the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Not covered as part of their training, ADR mechanisms are not well-known to lawyers. ASF nonetheless considers them an essential tool for resolving conflicts and believes that lawyers have a vital role to play in their promotion.

After several months of preparation, the official launch of the “Menya Utunganirwe” (“Know and Assert Your Rights”) project took place last week in Bujumbura. ASF, the bar associations of Bujumbura and Gitega, and two civil society organisations, came together with a shared objective: bringing people closer to justice, by facilitating access to justice through local mechanisms which respond to their concerns and address their needs.

Excellent news: ASF has just been granted significant funding for five years by the Belgian DGD (Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid). This aid will be used for projects supporting justice in five countries: Burundi, Indonesia, Morocco, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This also represents ASF’s first project in Indonesia.

If access to justice is to be sustainable, the capacity of international actors such as ASF should also be sustainable. In essence that is the message from ASF Executive Director, Francesca Boniotti, on the occasion of the publication of the NGO’s 2015 Annual Report.

On Human Rights Day, ASF pays tribute to civil society organisations (CSOs) committed to the defence of human rights. These partners of ASF such as human rights associations and bar associations work to make justice accessible to everyone, including the most vulnerable groups of people. Whether in Burundi, Tunisia or Chad, where their working conditions are sometimes difficult, these CSOs are on the front line when it comes to promoting fundamental rights.

In the current context of intense repression of political protest In Burundi, the rights of those arrested are being threatened by the practices of certain authorities. The illegal detention of a lawyer by police forces on 2 September highlights the intimidation practised with regard to these protectors of rights. ASF and the Bar Association of Bujumbura are calling on politicians and members of the judiciary to respect the constitutional principles of the country.

Over the summer, as part of the Crossroads project, ASF is bringing you the latest news about international justice. This week, Adrien Nifasha talks to us about advances in international justice in Burundi. The country is undergoing a political crisis for the past months. This exceptional situation obviously does not mean the end of victims needs with regard to access to justice; quite the contrary.

Brussels – The Day of International Criminal Justice is known as the date of the establishment in 1998 of a permanent International Criminal Court to prosecute and try those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. But this day is first and foremost dedicated to those who chose not to ignore the past. Many across the world have decided to stand up and allow for the truth to be told openly and widely.

Brussels/Bujumbura – Against the backdrop of an extremely serious political crisis, ASF and its partners continue working to ensure access to justice for all in Burundi. ASF and the bar association at Bujumbura Court of Appeal have recently signed an agreement renewing and shaping their partnership up to 2021.

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