US journalist arrested:

Police in Burundi arrested an American journalist and her Burundian fixer on Sunday, saying they had questioned both on suspicion of destroying criminal evidence before releasing only the journalist from custody.

Julia Steers, a fellow with the International Women’s Media Foundation, and Gildas Yihundimpundu were arrested in the Mutakura district north of the capital Bujumbura, police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye wrote on his Twitter account.

The media regulator “CNC and police interrogated them for attempting to destroy evidence of crimes committed by insurgents,” the tweet said. The government often uses the term “insurgents” to describe protesters.

Mutakura was hit by protests at the height of the unrest last year when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans to run for a third term in office, sparking weeks of protests by the opposition who said his bid was unconstitutional.

Nkurikiye said the journalist has subsequently been released and handed to the U.S. embassy, but her fixer remained under custody for further investigation. (RTRS)