Human rights leaders freed, stayaway suspended

A group of human rights and political organisations in Burkina Faso on Monday decided against continuing a nationwide stayaway launched last week, the group's leader, Halidou Ouedraogo, told IRIN.

However, the 'Collectif de partis politiques, syndicats et ONGs contre l'impunite' will "continue its active resistance" pending meetings on 22 April throughout the country at which it will assess the situation and decide on future action, Ouedraogo said.

More than 30 people, including Ouedraogo, who also heads the Union inter-africaine des droits de l'homme (UIDH), were detained last week following the Monday-to-Wednesday stayaway. According to media reports, the Collectif had called on its activists on 12 April to carry out "active resistance" against the government, and prepare for another stayaway.

Ouedraogo, arrested on 13 April, was released on Saturday. Four other leaders of the Collectif detained along with him were freed on Friday. The remaining detainees were also released except for four who, Ouedraogo said, were still being held by the gendarmerie up to early Monday afternoon.

The stayaway was the latest in a series of protests by the Collectif, which has been demanding reforms to the judiciary, constitution and electoral code, an end to impunity, and human rights guarantees.

It followed clashes in Ouagadougou on 8 April between the security forces and thousands of demonstrators protesting against the slow pace of investigations into the death of independent journalist Norbert Zongo.

State property was destroyed during the protest, the official daily, 'Sidwaya', reported.

The charred bodies of Zongo and three companions were found in his car on 13 December 1998. Security guards linked to President Blaise Compaore's brother have been implicated in the killings.