A Burundian court on Friday released 41 young people suspected of protesting against President Pierre Nkurunziza in the first release of alleged demonstrators since the east African country was plunged into political violence nearly a year ago, according to dpa. The 41 had been arrested in April 2015 during protests against Nkurunziza's decision to seek a third term in office and were charged with belonging to a rebel movement. The Bujumbura court granted them provisional liberty but judicial proceedings against them would continue, according to the National Independent Human Rights Commission (CNIDH), which has links with the government. The court also acquitted six other people who had been charged with involvement in attacks against military barracks that killed nearly 90 people in December. Hundreds of other suspected demonstrators remain in prison, as do about 20 army officers who were convicted of involvement in a failed coup attempt in May. The United Nations also confirmed the release of the 47 detainees during a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York Friday.
