Kontinent photographer Johan Persson was just nominated for the Swedish Red Cross journalism award for his work in Burundi together with reporter Anna Roxvall. Here is a collection of his best images from his reportages.
You can read more about the nomination here, and a longer article is also available in the first issue of Blank Spot, currently available in press stores in Sweden.
Extrajudicial killings, gunfire and explosions in the capital – many fear that Burundi is dangerously close to a new civil war. The current crisis in Burundi began early 2015. Heavy protests against president Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term rocked Burundi’s capital Bujumbura in April and May. After a failed coup attempt all open opposition was crushed and street protests stopped. That’s when a new phase begun. Now explosions and gunshots can be heard every night in parts of Bujumbura. Dead bodies are found in rivers and on the streets almost daily. Young men from the protest quarters have begun arming themselves and are attacking police. Burundi’s independent radio stations have been closed down. Human right activists have gone underground. “It feels like we were left to fend for ourselves,” says one activist. Over 200 000 people have already fled the country. Meanwhile, the government is becoming increasingly isolated, closing itself to the outside world.
Johan Persson is working as a Photojournalist worldwide. He is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
