Burkina Faso’s military authorities have announced plans to reinstate the death penalty, reversing a 2018 abolition and signalling a sharp shift in the country’s legal landscape.
The Council of Ministers said Thursday that the revised penal code would reintroduce capital punishment for offences such as high treason, terrorism and espionage.
The West African nation has not carried out an execution since 1988, a pause that ended formally when the civilian government abolished the death penalty three decades later.
Burkina Faso has been ruled by Captain Ibrahim Traoré since his 2022 coup, which ushered in a government that has rejected Western partners and drawn closer to Russia and Iran.
Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala said the reform was designed to deliver justice that reflects “the profound aspirations of the people,” framing the measure as part of wider judicial restructuring.
The draft law still requires approval from the Transitional Legislative Assembly, a body established by the junta to replace the dissolved parliament.
The proposed code also criminalises the “promotion and practices of homosexuality and related acts,” expanding on a law adopted in September that introduced prison terms of up to five years for same-sex relations.
Human rights groups have warned that the tightening of social and political controls marks a broader retreat from international norms, though the government argues the changes reflect national values.
If adopted, the legal reforms will further entrench the junta’s authority and continue a trajectory that has reshaped Burkina
