17
Jun
2026
Watch
Continued crackdown on civic space and fundamental freedoms in Burkina Faso
Madam President, colleagues, today in Burkina Faso, critics are silenced, journalists disappear, political parties are dissolved, civil society organisations are suspended. Human rights defenders, judges, students and opposition figures face arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and intimidation. Proposed legislation to reintroduce the death penalty and criminalise LGBTQI+ people raises further concerns. Meanwhile, large parts of the country continue to suffer from violence and terrorist attacks. Millions have been displaced and depend on humanitarian assistance. No fight against terrorism can justify violations of fundamental rights. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and others have documented grave violations against civilians, including killings and forced displacement that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, yet impunity persists. I call on the European Union and the Member States to place human rights and support for civil society at the centre of their engagement with Burkina Faso, and to support independent investigations into all serious violations.