SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PLENARY SESSION OF MAY 21, 2024

In the year two thousand and twenty-four, on the twenty-first day of May, senators gathered in the Senate hemicycle in Gitega for the 191^st plenary session of the sixth legislature under the aegis of the Right Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA , Senate Speaker. That session was related to:

• the adoption of the modified programme of activities which were planned for the period from May 6 to 21, 2024;

• analysis and adoption of the programme of activities planned for the period from May 22 to June 5, 2024;

• the analysis and adoption of bill no. 1/… of…/…/2024 amending law no. 1/19 of September 14, 2018 amending law no. 1/15 of May 9, 2015 governing the press in Burundi.

This session was attended by 32 senators and a Government Representative, Mrs. Léocadie NDACAYISABA, Minister of Communication, Information Technologies and Media. It began with a prayer at 10:30 a.m.

Opening the session, the Senate Speaker first welcomed the Honourable senators present and, then, after the unanimous adoption of the modified programme of activities which were planned for the period from May 6 to 21, 2024 and of the draft programme of activities planned for the period from May 22 to June 5, 2024, followed by a word of welcome to the guest of the day, the floor was granted to her to present the explanatory memorandum of the above-mentioned bill.

In her presentation, the Minister indicated that following the evolution of the media environment and the proliferation of media, the legislator, actors and media partners unanimously converged on the need to revise the law governing the press in Burundi in certain of its provisions.

In order to reconcile the principle of press freedom with the responsible attitude of media professionals, explains the Minister, the following main innovations have been made. This is in particular:

• taking into account developments in the media;
• an expansion of the rights and duties of journalists and press organs; 

• better clarification on the place of cinema and advertising in relation to the media, partial decriminalization of press offenses.

At the end of the explanatory statement and the presentation of the report of the committee on the merits, the opportunity was granted to the Honourable senators to express themselves in the general debate.

To the question of senators as to why the fines to be imposed on media professionals who are guilty of any offense are identical, the Minister replied that the fixing of this fine range was dictated by the simple reason of complying with the penal code in force in Burundi and the judge will assess the seriousness of the offense to set the fine while not deviating from this interval. In addition, added Léocadie NDACAYISABA, other provisions of the bill under analysis give the judge the right to use the penal code to punish the guilty party otherwise.

Regarding whether there would be possibilities of prosecuting the perpetrators of crimes committed through the media who work online, while being abroad, the Government Representative indicated that it is through the ratification of the conventions currently being negotiated, that Burundi will be able to track down these offenses. However, through other conventions, States collaborate in cases that fall within the framework of cybercrime to stop these media.

Asked if there are schools which teach journalism in Burundi, the Minister replied that currently, journalism training is provided in certain universities such as the University of Burundi, the Lumière University and the Hope University of Africa.

After these discussions and the adoption of the amendments proposed by the committee responsible and those formulated in plenary session, the bill was put to the vote and was adopted unanimously by the 39 votes cast, including 32 senators present and 07 proxies.

The session, which took place in a climate of perfect understanding, was closed at 11:14 a.m. with a prayer.