At least six magistrates in Burkina Faso have been conscripted into military service this month for actions taken against pro-junta activists and others, according to a joint statement from three magistrates’ unions.
The ruling military junta, which came to power after a 2022 coup, faces growing accusations of suppressing dissent by detaining and conscripting critics. The junta has also urged citizens to report suspicious behavior in the name of national security.
The magistrates’ unions stated that those targeted had recently been involved in cases against individuals aligned with the junta. This includes a prosecutor who had called for investigations into alleged forced disappearances and a judge handling a case involving a pro-junta figure responsible for a landslide that killed around 60 people.
The unions circulated their statement to journalists on Friday, raising concerns about the junta’s treatment of legal professionals.
The military government has consistently declined to comment on these allegations, despite previous criticisms from organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Burkina Faso’s military is engaged in a fierce battle against a jihadist insurgency that has destabilized the wider Sahel region over the past 12 years. The escalating violence has contributed to multiple coups in the region, including two in Burkina Faso, two in Mali, and one in neighboring Niger since 2020.