UN officially withdraws from Burundi

The Burundi Government has forced the UN human rights office to close after 23 years, a move the global body has confirmed with 'deep regret'. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, Burundi in December asked UN officials to leave, months after the outgoing UN rights chief called the country one of the 'most prolific slaughterhouses of humans in recent times'. A report on the News24 site notes that the country is voting in a referendum that would allow President Pierre Nkurunziza to add another two terms to the three he has served already. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said secretary-general Antonio Guterres is 'deeply disappointed by the decision to close down the human rights office'. Burundi has been pulling back from international criticism, making history in 2017 as the first country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.