Opposition parliamentarian freed

Opposition parliamentarian Herman Yameogo, arrested on Monday following violent protests in the south-western town of Koudougou, was freed on Thursday afternoon, a media source told IRIN from the Burkinabe capital. Yameogo's liberation came after the speaker of the Burkinabe assembly, Melegue Maurice Traore, asked the government to free him since he had parliamentary immunity. Yameogo, one of nine opposition members of Burkina Faso's 111-seat parliament, was held after protesters burnt homes in Koudougou. The demonstrators were demanding the arrest of six presidential guards suspected of killing independent journalist Norbert Zongo in December. Defending Yameogo's arrest, Security Minister Djibril Bassole said the state had evidence that he had incited the protesters. However, according to the source, Traore told journalists on Thursday: "Even if there is evidence against him (Yameogo), the government can have him put on trial, but only after requesting the National Assembly to lift his parliamentary immunity." Meanwhile, a strike called for Thursday by a collective of human rights groups, opposition leaders and journalists to press for Yameogo's release was "only moderately followed", the media source told IRIN. Most services in the Burkinabe capital and major towns functioned as usual. A police source in Koudougou told IRIN the town was calm and a curfew remained from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. However, clashes were reported in the eastern town of Tenkodogo between supporters and opponents of the ruling party.