Amnesty International Report 2013 - The State of the World's Human Rights - Burkina Faso

Head of state
Blaise Compaoré
Head of government
Luc Adolphe Tiao
 

Demonstrations and clashes took place in the months before the December legislative and municipal elections against a background of attempts by the President’s party to amend the Constitution in order to allow President Compaoré to run for another term. As a result of the crisis in Mali, up to 100,000 people sought refuge in the north of Burkina Faso. Camps lacked basic necessities and health care.

Torture and other ill-treatment

In January, Moumouni Isaac Zongo and Ousséni Compaoré, arrested on suspicion of theft, were ill-treated by members of the Anti-Crime Brigade of the National Police in Boulmiougou.

In February, bodyguards for the Minister of Justice and Promotion of Human Rights, Jérôme Traoré, ill-treated a mechanic following an altercation. A few days later, the Minister was dismissed.

Right to health – maternal mortality

Maternal and child health remained a priority for the authorities, who worked with civil society organizations on assessing the feasibility of policies to improve access to services for children aged under five, and to a certain extent for women. However, no real improvement was achieved either in the quality of maternal health services or increased access to family planning and reproductive health services.

Impunity

In June, Parliament passed an amnesty law for heads of state enshrining impunity.

 
 

Country Visits

No information on visits available

Associated documents