At least six magistrates in Burkina Faso have been conscripted into military service this month for their actions against pro-junta activists and other individuals, according to a joint statement from three magistrates’ unions.
The ruling military junta, which came to power through a 2022 coup, is accused of suppressing dissent by forcibly conscripting critics and encouraging citizens to report suspicious behavior in the name of national security.
The unions’ statement, released on Thursday and circulated among journalists on Friday, alleges that the targeted magistrates had previously handled cases involving individuals who claimed to be strong supporters of the current government.
Among those affected are a prosecutor who had ordered police investigations into forced disappearances reported by residents and a judge overseeing a case involving a pro-junta figure responsible for a landslide that killed about 60 people.
The military junta has not responded to these allegations, which have also been raised by organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Burkina Faso’s army is engaged in a jihadist insurgency that has been escalating across the Sahel region south of the Sahara, leading to instability and multiple coups in the region, including two in Burkina Faso since 2020.
