Evariste Ndayishimiye, the President of Burundi, urged his people to stone homosexuals next year. On Friday, the United States expressed concern over his comments.
The remarks escalated the crackdown on sexual minorities in a country where gay people already face social isolation and jail terms of up to two years if found guilty of same-sex offenses.
According to a statement from US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, “The United States is deeply troubled by President Ndayishimiye’s remarks targeting specific vulnerable and marginalized Burundians.”
“We call on all of Burundi’s officials to honor the inherent dignity and unalienable rights, including equal access to justice, of every Burundian citizen.”
The statement did not specifically mention the remarks about stoning.
In May, Uganda passed a bill that included the death penalty for some same-sex acts. The US has implemented several measures, including travel restrictions and Uganda’s exclusion from tariff-free trade agreements.
