Daouda Diallo, a human rights advocate and leader of the Coalition Against Impunity and Community Stigmatization, has been released. He was kidnapped in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, by security personnel dressed in civilian clothes on December 1, 2023. He was held at an undisclosed location until his release on March 7, 2024.
NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.
In early November, Daouda Diallo, a human rights advocate, was forcibly conscripted along with others from civil society and the media, supposedly for security duties. Despite receiving no formal conscription notice, Diallo publicly contested the conscription’s legality, emphasizing his right to dissent.
On December 1, 2023, Diallo was detained by security forces at a passport office and subsequently disappeared. A photo of him in military uniform appeared online on December 4, and further images and videos of him participating in military training were shared in February 2024. During these three months, there was no official communication regarding his whereabouts or the legal proceedings against his conscription.
Let us remain united in our commitment to defend the principles of justice, equality, and dignity for all.
Daouda Diallo
Legal Developments and Release
The Ouagadougou administrative court, on December 6, 2023, ruled the conscription orders illegal and demanded their immediate cessation. Despite this, the Burkinabe authorities continued to use conscription as a tool to suppress dissent.
Diallo was released on March 7 and expressed his gratitude: “I would like to thank Amnesty International and all those who mobilized and called for my release. These appeals were a light in the solitude of my ordeal and a reminder that I was not alone. Let us remain united in our commitment to defend the principles of justice, equality, and dignity for all. Today I’m delighted to be back home with my family, my comrades, and my colleagues after these 3 months and look forward to enjoying the moments we have been deprived of.”
However, the issue persists, as several civil society members, including Rasmane Zinaba, Bassirou Badjo, and Me Guy-Hervé Kam from Balai Citoyen, have also disappeared, likely conscripted in 2024.
Amnesty International continues to monitor the situation of Diallo and other activists and will respond to any developments as appropriate.
