Burkina Faso is experiencing new political tension with the arrest of lawyer and activist Guy-Hervé Kam, jailed again following a summons by the military prosecutor.
The political climate in Burkina Faso has entered a new episode of tension with the recent arrest of Guy-Hervé Kam, a renowned lawyer and emblematic figure of civil society. Co-founder of the Balai Citoyen collective, Guy-Hervé Kam is an influential personality in the struggle for justice and democracy in Burkina Faso. On Thursday, he was placed in police custody by the military prosecutor after responding to a summons at the military court in Ouagadougou. A few hours later, he was transferred to the military detention and correction facility, prompting a strong reaction from his movement, Sens.
A New Arrest at the Heart of Questions
The news of Guy-Hervé Kam’s arrest did not go unnoticed. This arrest, which occurred following a summons from the military justice, raises many questions. According to a member of the Sens movement, this police custody would be linked to an alleged attempt at destabilization, a case for which Kam had already been summoned last January. His lawyers denounce a repetitive and coercive procedure, claiming that these are the same facts for which he had been arrested and released several times this year.
The Guy-Hervé Kam case seems symptomatic of a strategy of political intimidation. In January, he had been arrested at Ouagadougou airport, detained for several months, then released before being arrested again in May for “conspiracy and association of wrongdoers.” These recurring accusations and the multiple detention orders issued against him have been strongly criticized by his entourage and his movement. Sens denounces a “political cabal” aimed at neutralizing a troublesome opponent.
An Ongoing Legal Battle
On July 10, Guy-Hervé Kam had been released under judicial supervision after the cancellation of a previous detention order. However, this freedom was short-lived. The Burkinabé authorities continue their judicial approach against him, fueling speculation about the real motives behind these prosecutions. Kam’s situation reflects a worrying trend of abductions and arrests of critical personalities of the current regime, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré since the coup in September 2022.
The arrest of Guy-Hervé Kam continues to provoke reactions and questions. Each stage of his trial reveals new elements, turning this case into a political-judicial soap opera closely followed by Burkinabé civil society and international observers. Kam’s fate remains uncertain, but his fight for justice and truth remains a symbol of resistance against authoritarian drifts.
