20111221
AFP
The UN Security Council on Tuesday highlighted "grave concern" about killings in Burundi linked to security forces and harassment of opposition groups.

The fears were raised after the United Nations said this month that there have been scores of extrajudicial killings and torture in Burundi linked to the government.

The 15-country council said in a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN mission in the African nation that it had "grave concern" about "continued human rights violations, in particular extrajudicial politically motivated killings and torture and restrictions on civil liberties."

The council resolution highlighted "harassment" and "intimidation" and called on President Pierre Nkurunziza's government to make sure that those responsible for "extrajudicial killings and mistreatment of detainees are brought to justice."

The resolution, proposed by France, was passed unanimously.

Earlier this month, UN special envoy to Burundi Karin Landgren told the council that the country's effort to emerge from a devastating 1993-2006 civil war was being "marred" by the political killings.

Landgren said the UN mission had recorded 57 extrajudicial and suspicious deaths in the first 11 months of the year.

Rights groups say there have been hundreds of killings which they blamed on government agents. They say these have increased since elections in July 2010 which were won by Nkurunziza's ruling party but were boycotted by the opposition.

Since Landgren's appearance before the council, rights groups say at least 43 opposition members have been detained for alleged "terrorism."

The United Nations has also raised concerns about the arrests of lawyers, journalists and officials from non-government groups.

About 300,000 people were killed in Burundi's civil war.