Twenty-one soldiers, convicted for their role in the failed coup d'état in Burkina Faso in September 2015, have received a presidential pardon.
The troubled west African country has been run since September 2022 by military leaders following a coup headed by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Traoré announced an "amnesty pardon" in December last year for several people convicted over the 2015 attempt to overthrow the transitional government in place after the fall of former president Blaise Compaoré.
"The following persons, who have been convicted or prosecuted before the courts for acts committed on September 15 and 16, 2015, are granted amnesty," stated the decree, issued last week, listing the 21 soldiers.
Six officers, including two former unit commanders of the former presidential guard, are on the list alongside 15 non-commissioned officers and rank and file soldiers.
They were convicted at a military tribunal in Ouagadougou in 2019 for "harming state security", murder or treason.
Burkina Faso extends amnesty to those involved in failed 2015 coup
Two generals considered the masterminds of the failed coup, Compaoré's former chief of staff Gilbert Diendéré and head of diplomacy Djibril Bassolé, were sentenced to 20 and 10 years in prison respectively. They were not part of the amnesty.
Those convicted have until June this year to request a pardon.
To do so, they have to "demonstrate a patriotic commitment to the reconquest of the territory" and "express their willingness to actively participate in the fight against terrorism".
The 21 soldiers pardoned will rejoin the army, which has been fighting jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group for more than 10 years.
But the decree stipulates that they will not be eligible for compensation or career progression.
Transition to civilian rule delayed
Diendéré and Bassolé tried to oust the transitional government put in place after Compaoré was forced out of office in October 2014 by a popular uprising, after 27 years in power.
Loyalist forces put down the attempted coup within two weeks. A total of 14 people died and 270 were wounded.
The justice ministry in December said that some 1,200 people convicted in connection with the coup attempt would be pardoned from 1 January.
Burkina Faso's ruling junta announced last May that it will remain in power for another five years under an accord adopted during national consultations.
The deadline for transition to civilian rule was originally set for 1 July 2024.
According to the charter, signed by Traoré, elections may be organised before the deadline "if the security situation so permits".
(with AFP)
