The Burundian ruling party’s youth league has been accused by the Human Rights Watch of beating, torturing and killing scores of people across the country in recent months.
The rights group released a report on Thursday saying that members of the Imbonerakure youth group have carried out violent crimes with impunity because President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government is unwilling to prosecute them.
Imbonerakure members have in the past been mentioned frequently among perpetrators of violence that has rocked Burundi since April 2015.
The violence began following President Pierre Nkurunziza’s declaration that he would run for a controversial third term in office, one that he went on to win in the July 2015 poll.
A spokeswoman for the ruling party however denied the allegations, telling Human Rights Watch that Imbonerakure carry out political activities “calmly and serenely” and do not make arrests.
Thousands of people have been killed since the eruption of the violence, with thousands more fleeing to neighbouring countries for safety.
