Burkina Faso: President Ibrahim Traoré reinstates the death penalty, here's which crimes are covered

On October 20 in Ouagadougou, all 71 voting members of Burkina Faso’s People’s Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a 933-article penal code reinstating the death penalty, abolished in 2018 under Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. The reform, led by Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, makes capital punishment applicable to terrorism, espionage, treason, parricide, and importing expired or prohibited products that cause death. Ibrahim Traoré’s government says the tougher penalties are intended to address insecurity and better deter terrorist groups. The return of capital punishment has also raised concerns among human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.