Opposition leader arrested over alleged coup plot

The government of Burkina Faso has arrested Norbert Tiendrebeogo, leader of the opposition Social Forces Front (FFS) party, in connection with an alleged coup plot. FFS deputy leader Brice Yogo told IRIN that Tiendrebeogo was summoned to the police headquarters for questioning on Monday and was subsequently detained. He was the 16th person to be arrested in connection with the alleged plot to overthrow President Blaise Campaore, and the first civilian leader. Campaore has ruled this poor landlocked West African country since 1987. Tiendrebeogo's FFS was founded by people close to the late president Thomas Sankara, who was killed in the coup that brought Campaore to power. Earlier this month, 15 military personnel were arrested in connection with the alleged coup plot, one of whom subsequently died in custody. State prosecutor Abdoulaye Barry said Sargent Moussa Kabore, who was born in neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire, hanged himself in his cell on 8 October. Barry said earlier this month that the coup plot was backed by a neighbouring country, which he refused to name, which had provided the conspirators with cash and had promised to deliver them weapons. He said the alleged mastermind of the plot, Captain Wally Luther Diapagri, had held meetings with "key officials in Cote d'Ivoire and Togo in September. There is no love lost between the governments of Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso. Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has repeatedly accused Campaore of supporting rebels who have occupied the northern half of Cote d'Ivoire for the past 13 months. Yogo said Tiendrebeogo was friendly with Captain Bayoulou Balibie, one of the alleged coup plotters who was arrested earlier this month, but he stressed that the FFS was committed to the democratic process. "We reaffirm that our party is definitely committed to the democratic process and to the conquest of power through the ballot box," he said. A coalition of opposition parties known as G14 has petitioned the government to free Tiendrebeogo immediately. "[Arresting] our comrade Norbert Tiendrebeogo is part of a vast campaign and manoeuvre to destabilise and intimidate the opposition in Burkina Faso," it said in a statement. The Burkina Faso Movement for Human and People's Rights (MBDHP) has meanwhile complained that many of those detained have now been held without charge for more than 20 days, far longer than the three days allowed by law.