Six Accused of Witchcraft Killed by Militia in Burundi

In Burundi, six people accused of witchcraft were brutally killed by members of the ruling party's youth militia, the Imbonerakure, who burned two victims alive and beat or stoned the others to death. The attacks occurred on Gasarara Hill near Bujumbura following local rumors blaming the victims for unexplained deaths in the region. Several videos of the violence circulated on social media, some verified by witnesses identifying the perpetrators as Imbonerakure members, a group previously accused by the United Nations and Human Rights Watch of killings and torture under Burundi's past authoritarian rule. Authorities have arrested at least 12 suspects involved in this 'unacceptable mob justice,' with the provincial governor condemning the attacks and clarifying that the victims were wrongly blamed for recent deaths. Burundi's predominantly Christian population still holds strong traditional beliefs, often attributing unexplained deaths to witchcraft, as reflected in both this incident and a recent Supreme Court sentencing related to witchcraft. Police intervened to rescue additional victims who were also beaten during the attacks.