Amidst the 36th anniversary commemoration of student Dabo Boukary’s assassination during Blaise Compaoré‘s tenure, the Union générale des étudiants burkinabè (Ugeb) issued a strong condemnation. The student body criticized the military regime’s failure to restore security, highlighting a stark contrast with Captain Ibrahim Traoré‘s assurances made upon seizing power in a coup d’état.

Days following this declaration, armed individuals, described as “unidentified” and dressed in civilian attire, forcibly and unlawfully apprehended several students, including Ugeb’s president. This action was detailed in a statement released by the student association itself.

Government accuses Ugeb of ‘apology of terrorism’

These arrests swiftly led to an accusation of “apology of terrorism” against Ugeb. Subsequently, the Ministry of Territorial Administration imposed a three-month renewable suspension on the student union, prohibiting it from conducting any activities during this period.

In response to what it termed the “gravity” of these events, the Public Prosecutor of Faso, operating from the Ouaga2 High Court, announced the initiation of a judicial inquiry.

The prosecutor’s statement indicated that the alleged actions could constitute offenses outlined and penalized under the Burkinabè penal code. Specifically, these acts might be classified as an “enterprise to demoralize the defense and security forces.”

The prosecutor further emphasized that “public apology for acts of terrorism” carries a potential sentence of one to ten years in prison.