Burkina Faso May Reinstate Death Penalty After Abolishing It in 2018, Government Official Reveals
A government official has claimed that Burkina Faso’s military regime is considering reinstating the death penalty, a measure that was abolished just five years ago in 2018. The last execution in the country took place in 1988, according to Amnesty International.
Justice Minister Rodrigue Bayala confirmed the discussions on Friday, following the passing of a new bill introducing community service. He stated that the death penalty could be included in a draft revision of the criminal code, which will be proposed to the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) for adoption. Bayala did not specify when the proposal would be made.
This potential move follows the rise to power of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who led a coup in September 2022. Bayala suggested that any changes to the criminal code would align with the vision and directives of the current government.
Amnesty International has raised concerns over the broader trend of increased use of the death penalty across Africa. The rights group reported that executions on the continent have surged by over 300%, while death sentences increased by 66% in recent months. However, 24 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, with others moving toward similar reforms.
Burkina Faso’s potential shift stands in stark contrast to ongoing efforts in countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe, which are working to abolish the death penalty, and Gambia, which is advancing constitutional amendments to end executions.
Earlier this year, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk emphasized that the death penalty is incompatible with fundamental human rights, highlighting its inherent cruelty and irreversibility.
As Burkina Faso grapples with the implications of reintroducing capital punishment, global attention remains focused on the evolving human rights landscape in Africa.
