Nairobi, Dakar, Paris, 30 September 2024. Burkinese authorities, in power since the military coup on 30 September 2022, have gradually put in place a system of repression against any form of criticism or reporting of human rights violations. Journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents are routinely targeted by attacks, arrests, abductions, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, and forced conscriptions ; and threats are made against their families. This climate of fear is fuelled by the violence and hate speech spread on social networks by political activists.
FIDH calls on Burkina Faso authorities to immediately cease the attacks and release everyone in arbitrary detention. The FIDH also calls on authorities to respect their national, regional and international human rights commitments.
Drissa Traoré, Secretary General of the FIDH declared that "The silencing of civil society and the repression of human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents is intolerable, particularly during a transition period that aims at rebuilding the state and improving governance. Civil society must be protected ; it is imperative to liberate free speech by upholding the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, association, meeting, and assembly, and of the press."
Although the regime had made the resolution of the armed conflict raging in the country a priority, the FIDH has observed an increase in acts of violence and rights violations perpetrated by all parties involved in the conflict against the civilian population. On 24 August 2024, the group Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM - Support Group for Islam and Muslims) claimed responsibility for an attack targeting civilians, defence and security forces, and Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) which resulted in dozens of casualties. These serious crimes have been condemned by FIDH and the Coalition Citoyenne pour le Sahel.
Forced conscription of human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents
Since late November 2023, authorities have systematized the forced conscription of human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents as army auxiliaries. Under the "General Mobilization and Warning Decree" adopted in April 2023, a dozen persons have been abducted and deployed to the front, in retaliation for their criticism of the current regime or for exposing human rights violations. Among them, are Dr. Daouda Diallo, a human rights defender and civil society activist, and Ablassé Ouédraogo, a political actor.
Members of the judiciary are also affected by conscription, in violation the principles of the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. In August 2024, at least five magistrates and public prosecutors were forcibly conscripted. They had either opened judicial investigations or initiated proceedings involving people known to be close to the regime. Burkina Faso public prosecutors at the District Courts (Tribunal de Grande Instance) in Ouagadougou 1, Boromo, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Gaoua, along with senior examining magistrates at the District Court in Ziniaré and a deputy public prosecutor in Bobo-Dioulasso were ordered to serve in the military from 14 August to 13 November 13, 2024.
"Sending magistrates and law enforcement officers to the front in reprisal for court rulings against individuals close to the regime is unacceptable. Burkina Faso authorities are confirming a troubling trend that has been condemned repeatedly by the United Nations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and our human rights organisations : the obstruction of fundamental freedoms. (...) The Burkinese State is violating both its own Constitution and its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as those enshrined in the international instruments and conventions to which it has adhered, in particular those protecting human rights defenders", declared Alice Mogwe, President of the FIDH.
The end of press freedom
Authorities in Burkina Faso have progressively restricted the right to information and freedom of the press. Local media are censored, and major international media banned. Journalists are forced to adopt a "patriotic interpretation" of the news that is favourable to the government and are under constant attack and threat. Self-censorship is widespread. Mr. Atiana Serge Oulon, an investigative journalist and editor of the bi-monthly publication L’Événement, was abducted from his home by the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) on 24 June 2024. Since then, his family has had no news of him. His newspaper was suspended for a month on June 20th. On 19 June 2024 Kalifara Séré, a commentator for BF1 was kidnapped. On June 28th Adama Bayala, a columnist on BF1 was also kidnapped. The kidnappings took place after the suspension of the "7 Infos" program on BF1, a private television station. The ACHPR had expressed "its deep concern at this situation, which constitutes a serious threat to the physical and moral integrity of journalists and is likely to deprive them of the protection of the law and undermine their freedom of expression and opinion".
Professor Mabassa Fall, FIDH delegate to the African Union declared : "We call on the African Union and the United Nations to coordinate their efforts to urge Burkina Faso authorities to put an end to the climate of violence, to release the abductees, and to respect their physical and moral integrity."
Relatives of exiled opponents targeted
In recent weeks, family members of former dignitaries have been harassed, subjected to violence, and kidnapped. Between 11 and 16 September 2024, two members of the family of Djibril Bassolé, former Minister of Foreign Affairs under Blaise Compaoré, were assaulted and abducted in Ouagadougou. The abductions were directly provoked by calls for violence made by militants close to the regime.