- Burkina Faso junta magistrates conscripted
- Burkina Faso human rights abuses
- Sahel region military coups
Magistrates Conscripted: At least six magistrates in Burkina Faso have been forcibly conscripted into the military after taking legal action against pro-junta figures.
Suppression of Dissent: The military junta is accused of suppressing dissent through intimidation tactics, including the forced conscription of critics into the military.
Growing Violence: Burkina Faso, like several of its neighbors, has been battling a jihadist insurgency that has contributed to a series of coups in the region.
At least six magistrates in Burkina Faso have been forcibly conscripted into military service this month after taking legal action against supporters of the ruling military junta, according to a joint statement from three magistrates’ unions.
The unions assert that these magistrates had recently handled cases involving individuals who identify as strong proponents of the current government. Among those conscripted is a prosecutor who ordered an investigation into allegations of forced disappearances and a judge overseeing a case involving a pro-junta figure linked to a landslide that killed around 60 people.
The unions’ statement, released to journalists on Friday, accuses the junta of suppressing dissent through intimidation tactics, including the forced conscription of critics into the military. The military government, which came to power in a 2022 coup, has also been accused of encouraging citizens to report suspicious neighbors under the guise of national security.
The junta has consistently refrained from commenting on these allegations, which have also been raised by international organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Burkina Faso, like several of its neighbors in the Sahel region, has been battling a jihadist insurgency that began 12 years ago and has since escalated. The growing violence has contributed to a series of coups in the region, including two in Burkina Faso, two in Mali, and one in Niger since 2020.
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