Senior UN human rights official visits Burundi, 25 to 27 June 2014

BUJUMBURA/GENEVA/NEW YORK (25 June 2014) – The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Simonovic, is visiting Burundi from 25 to 27 June to assess the human rights situation in the country.

During his visit, Simonovic is scheduled to meet with the President of the Republic of Burundi and with senior members of the Government, including the Ministers of External Relations and International Cooperation, Justice, Public Security, Interior, and of National Solidarity, Human Rights and Gender. He is also expected to meet with the President of the Independent National Human Rights Commission and with representatives of civil society organisations.

Before leaving Burundi, Assistant Secretary-General Simonovic will hold a press conference in Bujumbura on 27 June at the headquarters of the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB).

This is Simonovic's second visit to Burundi. He previously visited the country from 30 April to 2 May 2012.

ENDS

Ivan Simonovic assumed his functions as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights on 17 July 2010, heading the New York Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

To learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/ASG.aspx

For more details please contact:
In Burundi: Vladimir Monteiro (+ 257 71 236 118 / monteiro@un.org)
In New York: André-Michel Essoungou (+1 917 367 9995 / essoungou@un.org)

Learn more about the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: http://www.ohchr.org

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Check the Universal Human Rights Index: http://uhri.ohchr.org/en