Burkina Faso has witnessed a cautious moment of relief and renewed concern after the release of two members of the citizen movement Balai Citoyen, Aboudou Rasmané Zinaba and Bassirou Badjo, on October 6, 2025.
Their detention, which lasted over a year, has underscored ongoing tensions surrounding civil liberties and enforced disappearances in a country increasingly governed under military oversight.
Zinaba and Badjo were initially arrested in Ouagadougou on February 20 and 21, 2024, under circumstances that remain opaque. For months, their families and colleagues had no information about their whereabouts.
They resurfaced in June 2024 on a televised program, “Parole de combattant,” wearing military uniforms.
At the time, the judiciary had issued a suspension order regarding their conscription into the army, but it appears this decision was disregarded.
Balai Citoyen condemned the arrests as arbitrary, suggesting they were intended to intimidate critics of the military regime that took power following the 2022 coup.
The movement cautiously confirmed the return of its members, stating: “They have returned home, are reunited with their families and are in good health.” Yet, details remain limited due to ongoing security concerns and the potential for reprisals against former detainees. The release highlights the fragile environment for civil society actors, whose activities are closely monitored by both local authorities and international observers.
Despite this partial reprieve, the struggle is far from over. Guy-Hervé Kam, a lawyer and co-founder of Balai Citoyen, remains imprisoned, accused of “alleged participation in a conspiracy against state security,” charges his supporters argue are politically motivated.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called for his immediate release and urged the Burkinabe government to uphold constitutional protections.
Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré assumed power in 2022, the balance between security measures and democratic freedoms has been increasingly contested.
The Balai Citoyen, founded in 2013 to oppose attempts to extend former President Blaise Compaoré’s mandate, remains a symbol of peaceful advocacy for democratic governance.
The recent events underscore the urgent need for international attention to Burkina Faso’s human rights situation and the protection of civic space.
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