Ruling Party’s Youth Gang-Raped Burundi Women, Rights Group Says

Members of the Burundian ruling party’s youth wing have gang-raped women since a tide of political protests swept the East African nation last year, Human Rights Watch said.

In several provinces, men with guns, sticks or knives attacked homes and raped women, the New York-based advocacy group said Wednesday, citing interviews with more than 70 victims at a Tanzanian refugee camp. Fourteen women said they recognized at least one of their assailants as belonging to the Imbonerakure, a wing of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, according to the group. In other cases, the rapists were said to wear police uniforms.