As the 45th session of the Human Rights Council draws to a close, a global coalition against torture and its partners from the SOS-Torture Network are urging the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and all Council members to focus on the Fulani populations in Burkina Faso. These communities find themselves caught in the escalating struggle against terrorism across the Sahel region.

Since 2016, the Fulani in Burkina Faso have endured severe human rights violations, some of which may constitute international crimes. The scale of the atrocities in certain areas, characterized by their massive, widespread, and systematic nature, raises concerns of potential ethnic cleansing.

These abuses frequently involve the extrajudicial execution of thousands of civilians, carried out either by security forces supported by state-backed self-defense groups or by non-state armed entities. Between January 2019 and May 2020, hundreds of civilians were massacred in locations such as Yirgou, Kain Ouro, Banh, Barga, Djibo, and Tawalbougou. Furthermore, thousands more, including children, languish in prisons, notably in Kaya and Loumbila, under inhumane conditions following arbitrary arrests and secret detentions, without ever having access to magistrates or legal counsel. This situation is compounded by a pervasive environment of discrimination and stigmatization, leaving these populations vulnerable to food insecurity.

Despite numerous reports and formal complaints filed with the courts, Burkinabé authorities have failed to identify or prosecute those responsible for these egregious violations. We appeal to the Human Rights Council to recommend that Burkina Faso’s authorities implement comprehensive security and judicial measures to establish a protective environment for this vulnerable group.

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Iolanda Jaquemet, Communications Director
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This statement is issued by a leading global coalition of NGOs dedicated to combating torture and ill-treatment, comprising over 200 member organizations across more than 90 countries, with its international secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland.