The military junta in Burkina Faso has moved to reinstate the death penalty, nearly a decade after the country abolished it. The last judicial execution in Burkina Faso occurred in 1988. On December 4, the junta’s council of ministers approved a bill amending the penal code to reintroduce capital punishment for crimes including high treason, terrorism, and espionage. Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala had previously indicated that the issue was under discussion, though the bill still requires approval by the transitional parliament.
Restoring the death penalty is seen as a signal of the junta’s intent to suppress dissent. Since the September 2022 military coup led by President Ibrahim Traoré, the authorities have curtailed civic space, silenced the media and political opposition, and targeted civil society groups. The government has used emergency powers to arbitrarily detain and forcibly conscript journalists, political opponents, dissidents, and even judges into the armed forces.
Burkina Faso remains a hotspot for violence in the Sahel, where Islamist armed groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have waged conflict against the government and committed atrocities against civilians since 2012. The junta’s counterinsurgency measures have included abusive practices that curtail fundamental rights and freedoms.
The reintroduction of the death penalty risks institutionalizing fear and adds a new tool for government repression. Over 170 countries have abolished the death penalty or maintain moratoriums, and international bodies such as the United Nations and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights recommend limiting or ending its use. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty under all circumstances due to its inherent cruelty.
Critics argue that security challenges cannot justify irreversible punishments. Parliament is urged to reject the bill, while the junta should instead focus on legal reforms that strengthen due process, justice, and accountability rather than imposing draconian sentences.
