Amnesty International Condemns Arbitrary Arrests in Burkina Faso
Responding to the arrests of lawyer Guy Hervé Kam on 29 May 2024, mere hours after his initial release, and of Lieutenant-Colonel Emmanuel Zoungrana earlier the same day, Samira Daoud, Regional Director for West and Central Africa at Amnesty International, stated:
“We condemn the arbitrary detention of Guy Hervé Kam. He was arrested and transferred to gendarmerie custody on 29 May, later being remanded into a military prison on new charges of conspiracy against the state. We believe these accusations to be baseless and demand his immediate and unconditional release.”
“We also condemn the enforced disappearance of Lieutenant-Colonel Zoungrana, who was compelled to follow armed men, suspected to be intelligence service agents, while en route to his home in Pabré. He has not been seen since. We urge the authorities to promptly disclose information regarding his whereabouts and fate, and if he is being arbitrarily and secretly detained, to release him immediately.”
“These arbitrary arrests occurred shortly after courts had ordered their release or provisional release. Amnesty International is alarmed by the persistent disregard for judicial decisions and the ongoing arbitrary arrests of civil society members in Burkina Faso over the past year.”
Background
Guy Hervé Kam, a lawyer and co-founder of the civil society movement Balai Citoyen, has been accused of undermining state security. Arrested on 24 January 2024 and held incommunicado, the Ouagadougou Administrative Court of Appeal ordered his release on 18 April 2024. However, on 29 May, as he was finally being freed near his home, state security forces re-arrested him.
Lieutenant-Colonel Zoungrana, former commander of the 12th Infantry Commando Regiment of Ouahigouya, was arrested in December 2021 on accusations of plotting against state security. Though provisionally released in December 2022, he was re-arrested 13 days later. On 22 May 2024, the Ouagadougou Military Court ordered his provisional release.
