Ouagadougou – At least six magistrates in Burkina Faso have been forcibly enlisted into the military, according to a joint statement released on Thursday by three magistrates’ unions. The judges were targeted for their involvement in cases against supporters of the ruling junta and other individuals.
The West African nation has been under military rule since a 2022 coup. The junta has faced mounting criticism for its crackdown on dissent, including alleged kidnappings, forced conscription of critics, and calls for citizens to report suspicious neighbors.
The magistrates’ unions claim that the affected judges handled cases involving citizens who publicly supported the government. Specific instances cited include a prosecutor who investigated forced disappearance allegations and a judge overseeing a case linked to a pro-junta figure involved in a deadly landslide.
Despite facing accusations of human rights abuses from organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the military junta has consistently refused to address these claims.
