The president of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye,
recently encouraged people to stone LGBTQ+ individuals - a brutal and terrifying way to murder people.
This is a direct incitement to homophobic violence and we should all be outraged.
Meanwhile, Burundi is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, which specifically states that it requires respect for all human rights. But if its president is calling for brutal acts of terror, that's not respecting human rights. Sign the petition to demand accountability!President Ndayishimiye attended a question-and-answer event with the public and journalists, where he said of queer people:
"if we find them in Burundi, it is better to lead them to a stadium and stone them. And that cannot be a sin."Stoning is a particularly horrific way to inflict capital punishment - it involves being surrounded by people you can't escape, as they pelt you with rocks and stones until you finally die from the ceaseless blunt force trauma.
No one should face death or terror just because of who they love.Being a member of the LGBTQ+ community is already extremely dangerous in the country. If you're caught and convicted of engaging in same-sex relations, you could be imprisoned for up to two years. Queer people are seriously marginalized, facing social ostracization and intimidation.
Burundi's government should be rolling back hateful laws, not doubling down on anti-gay sentiments.
We must protect human rights for everyone, including LGBTQ+ people!Sign the petition now to demand the United Nations Sustainable Development Group hold member nation Burundi accountable for its president's incitements to hate crimes!