Burkina Faso: AES Confederation demands Justice for Alino Faso, condemns EU sanctions
The Confederation of Sahel States (AES) has strongly reacted to the death in custody of Burkinabe activist Alain Christian Traoré, widely known as Alino Faso. He died under unclear circumstances in Côte d’Ivoire and was buried last weekend in Ouagadougou.
In a statement signed by Malian Justice Minister Mamoudou Kassogué on behalf of the AES ministerial council, authorities called for a “transparent and diligent investigation” to clarify the events surrounding his death.
The AES denounced an “illegal arrest, detention in a military barracks, and suspicious death,” urging that all those responsible both perpetrators and accomplices be held accountable.
Burkinabe judicial authorities have already ordered an autopsy, with results pending to inform the ongoing inquiry.
Beyond this case, the AES also condemned recent European Union sanctions against several pan-African figures.
Travel bans, asset freezes, and movement restrictions targeting Nathalie Yamb, as well as measures against Franklin Nyamsi, Kemi Seba, Ibrahima Maïga, and other activists, were described as “harassment measures” violating fundamental rights.
The AES argued that these decisions breach not only the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the EU’s own Charter of Fundamental Rights.
According to the ministers, the sanctions aim to “silence African voices” under the pretext of countering foreign influence.
Expressing solidarity with those targeted, AES leaders called for unity and resilience among African peoples in the face of external pressure. They affirmed that such attacks would only strengthen their resolve to build a “sovereign, united, and respected Africa.”
Maurice K. ZONGO
