9.766 NEEDED
We, the undersigned, are deeply troubled by the series of attacks against innocent members of the press in the country of Burundi, located in East Africa, and hereto call on the highest authorities in the land to immediately act and defend the freedom of speech.
It is with great sorrow that I must report that free speech is no longer a given thing in Burundi; no one seems to be allowed to speak anymore, unless they have the same views of the government. Those who do not follow the official line of propaganda are in deep trouble.
Burundi claims to be a democracy, but if such things are allowed to take place, then certainly this is not the case. We are extremely concerned that attacks on the press still occur in the 21st century. We must denounce these practices and demand a rapid shift in policy. The Honorable President must intervene straight away!
Dozens of journalists across the nation have gone missing and critics of the government fear they have been silenced for good; now, virtually all journalists are living in fear of doing their job – many have received intimidating messages (some more subtle than others). Ultimately, the message is clear: no one should speak out against the government.
This is not what Burundi stands for. This country can do better. Unless something urgent is done, there will no one left to speak against what is happening in the country and total censorship will have been imposed, handing the leaders of the nation and its cronies a free pass to continue their shady activities and widespread corrupt actions.
Please add your voice to this humble online protest and put pressure on the Burundi leaders. The international community is watching the country’s next steps with great interest; we hope Burundi will back down and will ultimately grantee the freedom of the press.
Thank you!
