The UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi urged the East African country's new government on Monday to "break the cycle of violence" and start cooperating with the United Nations.

Thousands of Burundians on Friday lined the road to the capital Gitega as the body of former president Pierre Nkurunziza was escorted under heavy security for a state funeral after his sudden death earlier this month.

Burundi convened an extraordinary cabinet meeting Thursday to discuss a way forward after the sudden death of long-serving ruler Pierre Nkurunziza left many anxious over the future of the troubled country.

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of heart failure, the government said Tuesday. "The Government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi... following heart failure on June 8, 2020," it said in a post on its official Twitter account.…

Burundi's main opposition leader has rejected early signs the ruling party is heading for victory in this week's general election, describing the results from 12 percent of municipalities as "fantasy."

Burundians began voting Wednesday in a tense election to replace long-ruling President Pierre Nkurunziza, that is proceeding despite an outbreak of coronavirus which has been largely ignored in the east African nation.

Three teenage schoolgirls in Burundi have been sent to prison to await trial for scribbling on a picture of President Pierre Nkurunziza in textbooks, activists said Thursday.

The Burundi government has ordered the United Nations Human Rights Council to shut its office in the country within two months, foreign ministry and UN sources told AFP.

UN investigators on Wednesday warned that crimes against humanity and other serious rights violations were continuing unabated in Burundi, blaming in part President Pierre Nkurunziza's repeated calls to hatred and violence.

President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi on Thursday enacted a new constitution adopted by a referendum, despite opposition concern that the charter will enable him to keep his grip on power until 2034.

The coalition led by main opposition leader Agathon Rwasa said Saturday it did not recognise the result of a referendum on constitutional reforms that could leave President Pierre Nkurunziza in power until 2034.

Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza is an evangelical who believes he was chosen by God to rule the east African nation, and plans to do so for as long as possible.