Burkina Faso set to bring back death penalty under new government bill

The government of Burkina Faso is moving to reintroduce the death penalty. On 4 December 2025, the country’s Council of Ministers adopted a draft bill to restore capital punishment. This marks a major reversal, as the death penalty was abolished in the country’s penal code in 2018. The proposal would apply capital punishment for serious crimes such as treason, terrorism, and espionage.

What the proposed law includes

The draft penal code would bring back the death penalty for grave offences, notably high treason, terrorism, and espionage. At the same time, reforms reportedly include broader changes: some sentences for lesser crimes would be replaced by community service, while fines for misdemeanors and felonies would increase substantially.

Before the death penalty becomes enforceable, the draft bill must pass through parliament and survive judicial review.

Why the government says this is needed

The Justice Ministry has defended the bill as part of broader reforms aimed at delivering a justice system “that responds to the deep aspirations of our people.” Authorities argue that reinstating capital punishment for the most serious crimes will strengthen state security and deter threats to national sovereignty.

The move comes amid a tense security context. Since the 2022 coup that brought the current military government to power, the country has faced insurgency threats linked to extremist groups, widespread instability in the Sahel region, and repeated terrorist attacks. These conditions have shaped the government’s view of tougher punitive measures.

Reaction and concerns from civil‑society and human rights groups

The proposal has sparked alarm among human rights organisations and observers. Critics argue that the death penalty carries no unique deterrent effect and may be used as a repressive tool, especially given recent restrictions on media, arrests of journalists, and suppression of dissent under the military‑led government.

The last execution carried out in Burkina Faso dates back to 1988. Reintroducing capital punishment after decades of abolition would mark a dramatic break from a long move toward human‑rights standards.

Broader context: security crisis and shrinking civic space

The move to restore the death penalty does not occur in isolation. The same government has recently adopted legislation criminalizing homosexuality, imposed strict penalties for corruption and economic crimes, and revised legal sanctions across many sectors.

Since the 2022 coup, Burkina Faso’s military rulers have postponed planned elections, dissolved the independent electoral commission, and increasingly cracked down on critical media outlets. Several prominent journalists have been arrested, and foreign media services suspended.

This broader repression raises fears that the death‑penalty reinstatement could permanently erode civil liberties and entrench authoritarian rule under the guise of security.

What happens next

For the death penalty to return in practice, the draft bill must pass through the country’s transitional legislature and withstand legal scrutiny. If approved, capital punishment would formally become part of the penal code once again — reversing Burkina Faso’s legal and human rights trajectory.

Human rights defenders continue to urge the transitional authorities to abandon the proposal and respect the global trend toward abolition.

Conclusion

The decision by Burkina Faso’s government to restore the death penalty signals a dramatic shift in its justice and security policies. While authorities frame the move as necessary for national security and justice reform, it raises serious human rights concerns.

If enacted, the change would reverse a long‑standing abolition and risk deepening repression under the military‑led government. The coming legislative and judicial review will determine whether the death penalty returns and whether Burkina Faso aligns with international human‑rights norms or moves toward harsher punitive measures.