Burundian police arrest reporters for allegedly destroying evidence

Burundian police said they had arrested two journalists, including a United States national and a BBC's local employee, on Sunday morning.

Julia Steers, a U.S. citizen, and Gildas Ihundimpundu, a Burundian journalist working for the BBC were arrested at the 9th Avenue at Mutakura while taking pictures of a mass grave, Burundian police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said.

"They are accused of planning to destroy evidence that insurgents killed people and dumped them in that mass grave," Nkurikiye said.

Nkurikiye told Xinhua that the two journalists had not informed the local administration or the police of their visit at Mutakura in the north of the capital Bujumbura.

"Their goal is to destroy evidence that insurgents killed people and dumped them there," said Nkurikiye.

According to him, both journalists are being heard by investigators as well as representatives of the Burundian Media Council (CNC).

CNC Chairman Ramadhan Karenga told Xinhua that the U.S. journalist was later released after the CNC confirmed that she had an accreditation.

"The U.S. journalist has been released but the Burundian journalist is still in the hands of the police because he has not registered with the CNC," said Karenga.

On Aug. 25, Steve Irakoze Gisa, a dual Burundian-Rwandan journalist working for Burundi-based Buja FM was arrested and released after spending one week at the custody of the Burundi National Intelligence Service (SNR).

He was accused of posing a threat to Burundi's security after police agents browsed through his mobile phone and said it contained subversive information. Endit