The United States on Friday condemned remarks made by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who last week urged residents of the small African nation to attack gay people.
In a country where gay people already face social exclusion and jail terms of up to two years if found guilty of same-sex offenses, the comments intensified the crackdown on sexual minorities.
“The remarks made by President Ndayishimiye that target some vulnerable and marginalized Burundians have greatly troubled the United States,” said Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department.
“We call on all of Burundi’s officials to honor the inherent dignity and unalienable rights, including equitable access to justice, of every Burundian citizen.”
The statement made no specific mention of the comments about attacking.
Uganda passed a law in May that carried the death penalty for some types of same-sex offenses. The United States has imposed several sanctions, including travel restrictions and Uganda’s exclusion from a tariff-free trade agreement.
