The investigation into the 28 people killed in Burkina Faso must be public: UN rights chief

In a statement released on Friday, Mr. Türk said the decision by the authorities to investigate the deaths was encouraging, but added that it should be “quick, thorough, impartial and transparent”. “I have sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressing this exact message,” the High Commissioner said. “The victims and their loved ones owe little.”

28 bodies were found in the north-west of the town of Nouna, in Kossi Province, in the Boucle du Mouhoun area. According to local sources, the victims, who were all men, were killed when members of the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP), military auxiliaries to the defense and security forces, descended on the city, in an apparent revenge for the previous one. the group’s military base was attacked the previous night by suspected members of the Jamā’at nuṣrat al-Islām wal-muslimīn (JNIM) militant group.

Burkina Faso has been in a political crisis for many years, and its people have suffered several deadly terrorist attacks. The country’s severe humanitarian crisis has seen more than a million people displaced from their homes, victims of the ongoing conflict and poverty.

In launching its investigation on 2 January, the transitional government of Burkina Faso announced that it was “fundamentally opposed to any form of abuse or violation of human rights for any reason” and reiterated its commitment to protect all citizens without any discrimination.

Mr. Türk has raised concerns directly with the authorities about potential human rights risks linked to the recruitment, arming and deployment of agents in Burkina Faso.

The statement noted that there is an urgent need to strengthen their vetting procedures, pre-training on international human rights and humanitarian law, effective monitoring by security and defense forces and to ensure inclusion and transparency during their recruitment.