Human Rights Commission Urges Burkina Faso to Address Human Rights Violations

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) must prioritize urgent human rights concerns during Burkina Faso’s upcoming review on October 23, 2024, Human Rights Watch emphasized. The Burkinabè government faces critical challenges: protecting civilians amid armed conflict, preserving civic space for activists and journalists, and ensuring accountability for severe abuses.

Key Human Rights Issues Omitted from Burkina Faso’s Report

The ACHPR’s state reporting procedure requires member states to submit regular reports on measures taken to uphold the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. However, Burkina Faso’s 2023 report, covering 2015-2021, fails to adequately address pressing human rights crises, including:

• Widespread abuses by state security forces and Islamist armed groups during counterinsurgency operations
• Systemic restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms
• Near-total impunity for grave crimes

The conflict in Burkina Faso, fueled by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), has displaced millions since 2016. Two military coups in 2022 further destabilized the nation.

Accountability Gaps Persist Despite Government Claims

Burkina Faso’s report highlights measures like:

• A specialized counterterrorism unit
• Military oversight mechanisms
• Human rights training for security forces

Yet, Human Rights Watch has documented credible accounts of crimes against humanity, including unlawful killings and enforced disappearances of civilians accused of collaborating with armed groups. Islamist militants have also perpetrated atrocities, besieging towns and committing sexual violence.

ACHPR Must Address Civil Society Repression

Since the 2022 coup, the junta has systematically targeted activists, opposition members, journalists, and critics through:

• Illegal conscription of dissidents
• Forced disappearances
• Judicial harassment and intimidation

In December 2023, the ACHPR expressed concern over the abduction of human rights defender Daouda Diallo. In July 2024, the Commission condemned the disappearance of three journalists, demanding their release and location disclosure.

Call for Concrete Action and International Scrutiny

Allan Ngari, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, urged the ACHPR to:

• Demand accountability for abuses by both state forces and armed groups
• Recommend protections for civil society actors to operate without fear
• Advocate for an official ACHPR visit to Burkina Faso to assess the situation firsthand

The Commission has not conducted an official visit to Burkina Faso in years, despite escalating violence and repression.

International Law Obligations

Under international law, Burkina Faso bears primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting grave crimes. However, progress has been minimal, with no accountability for security force abuses documented in the 2023 report.

The ACHPR’s upcoming review presents a pivotal opportunity to press Burkina Faso on these unresolved issues, ensuring justice for victims and protection for those defending human rights.