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Burkina Faso’s military rulers have announced plans to reinstate the death penalty, which was abolished in 2018, as part of a new draft penal code unveiled Thursday.
The legislation, which must be approved by the transitional legislature established by the junta, also criminalises “the promotion and practices of homosexuality and related acts,” according to a government statement.
“The adoption of this draft law is part of the broader reforms in the sector aimed at delivering justice that meets the profound aspirations of the people,” said Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala in the government statement.
The new code will restore the death penalty for offences including high treason, terrorism, and espionage, among others, the Burkinabe government said. The country last executed in 1988, with the punishment formally abolished three decades later under the civilian administration of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
Since seizing power in a 2022 military coup, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has steered Burkina Faso towards anti-Western policies, reducing ties with former colonial power France while strengthening links with Russia and Iran. Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala said the draft law forms part of broader reforms aimed at delivering “justice that meets the profound aspirations of the people.”
Burkina Faso, which has faced over a decade of insurgency linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, has struggled to contain unrest. The junta has also moved to suppress dissent and critics of its governance.
In recent years, other African countries have revisited capital punishment policies.
The Democratic Republic of Congo lifted a 20-year moratorium in 2024, while Nigeria introduced the death penalty for drug-related offences. Amnesty International reported that 14 sub-Saharan nations imposed death sentences last year, though Somalia was the only country to carry out executions in 2024.
