Human rights defenders Emmanuel Nshimirimana, Aimé Constant Gatore and Marius Nizigiyimana were sentenced to 10 years in prison on 8 March. They are members of the Burundian non-governmental organization Words and Actions for the Awakening of Consciences and the Evolution of Mentalities (PARCEM). They had been charged with ‘threatening interior state security’ and using fake documents. Amnesty International considers them to be prisoners of conscience.
