Burkina Faso’s junta leader has granted a pardon to 21 soldiers who were convicted for their involvement in a failed coup in 2015. This information comes from an official order that was made public on Monday.
The West African country has experienced multiple coups in recent years, with Captain Ibrahim Traore taking over in September 2022 after removing the previous military leader.
Traore issued an amnesty in December last year for individuals convicted in the 2015 coup attempt, which was an effort to overthrow the transitional government that had been formed after the fall of former President Blaise Compaore.
The decree, issued last week, specifically listed the 21 soldiers who are now granted amnesty. Among them are six officers, including two former commanders of the presidential guard, and 15 non-commissioned officers and lower-ranking soldiers.
These soldiers were sentenced in 2019 by a military tribunal in Ouagadougou. Their charges included harming state security, murder, and treason.
Despite this amnesty, two key figures from the 2015 coup attempt, Gilbert Diendere and Djibril Bassole, were not included in the pardon. Diendere, who served as Compaore’s chief of staff, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Bassole, the former head of diplomacy, received a 10-year sentence.
Those who have been convicted still have the option to seek a pardon before June. However, for a pardon to be granted, individuals must prove their commitment to Burkina Faso’s ongoing fight against terrorism.
They must also express their willingness to actively participate in military operations aimed at reclaiming territory from jihadist groups that have been active in the country for more than a decade.
The 21 pardoned soldiers will be reinstated into the army. However, they will not receive any compensation or career advancements as part of their return to service.
Burkina Faso’s military has been engaged in continuous battles against extremist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have spread violence across the Sahel region.
The 2015 coup attempt was led by members of the presidential guard who sought to restore Compaore to power after he was forced to step down in October 2014 following mass protests against his 27-year rule.
However, within two weeks, loyalist forces suppressed the coup. The conflict resulted in 14 deaths and left 270 people injured.
In December, the justice ministry announced that around 1,200 people convicted in connection with the 2015 coup would be pardoned starting from January 1. This mass pardon is part of the junta’s broader efforts to consolidate power and mobilize support for its military campaigns against jihadist insurgents.
The decision reflects Traore’s approach to governance, where former political and military rivals are being reintegrated into the system, provided they pledge loyalty to the state’s current priorities.
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