The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a collaborative effort between the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has released an urgent update regarding the judicial harassment of Ini Benjamine Esther Doli in Burkina Faso.
Current judicial status and sentencing
On November 10, 2025, a court in Ouagadougou delivered a verdict against Maître Ini Benjamine Esther Doli following a closed-door hearing. The human rights defender and lawyer was found guilty of “insulting the head of state” and “attempting to demoralize the armed forces,” charges stemming from her social media activity. She received a one-year prison sentence and a fine of 1,000,000 F.CFA. While she was cleared of “treason” charges, she remains incarcerated in the women’s wing of the Ouagadougou civil prison while her appeal is pending.
Maître Doli is a respected legal professional who previously served as a deputy prosecutor in Bobo-Dioulasso and a government commissioner at the Ouagadougou Administrative Tribunal. She has been a member of the Burkina Faso Bar Association since mid-2024.
Background of the abduction
The legal ordeal began in the early hours of September 1, 2025, when armed individuals identifying themselves as national gendarmes abducted Maître Doli from her residence in Ouagadougou. This incident occurred shortly after she returned from an international trip and posted a critique on Facebook comparing the current political climate to the era of Thomas Sankara, noting that even during his revolution, the judiciary was not bypassed to brutalize the populace.
Before her arrest, she frequently utilized digital platforms to highlight the erosion of free speech in Burkina Faso. Her posts regularly condemned the kidnapping and intimidation of activists and criticized the lack of independence within the national justice system. In one notable post, she described the use of taxpayer-funded weapons to silence and terrorize the public as an act of immense cowardice.
A pattern of systemic repression
The situation facing Maître Doli is not an isolated event. The Observatory notes that other prominent figures, such as Guy Hervé Kam, co-founder of Balai citoyen, have faced similar arbitrary detentions. Despite court orders for his release, Maître Kam remains in custody on charges of conspiracy.
The broader landscape in Burkina Faso reveals a disturbing trend of targeting journalists and civil society members who question the military authorities. Recent victims include:
- Amadou Sawadogo (released after two months).
- Miphal Ousmane Lankoandé (still missing).
- Journalists Boukary Ouoba, Luc Pagbeguem, and Guezouma Sanogo (all eventually released).
- Atiana Serge Oulon, an investigative journalist abducted in June 2024, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Demands for justice
The Observatory strongly denounces the sentencing of Maître Ini Benjamine Esther Doli, viewing it as a direct retaliation for her legitimate human rights advocacy. The organization calls upon the military leadership in Burkina Faso to:
- Ensure the physical and mental safety of Maître Doli and all other activists.
- Grant the immediate and unconditional release of Maître Doli and all those held for exercising their fundamental rights.
- Launch transparent investigations into the abductions and forced disappearances of human rights defenders.
- Uphold international commitments to freedom of expression and association as outlined in the United Nations and African Union charters.
The international community is urged to contact the military authorities of Burkina Faso, including President Ibrahim Traore and Prime Minister Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, to demand an end to this cycle of judicial harassment and arbitrary detention.
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