Burkina Faso: human rights lawyer Ini Benjamine Esther Doli sentenced to prison

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint initiative between the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), is highlighting the ongoing arbitrary detention and recent sentencing of Ini Benjamine Esther Doli in Burkina Faso.

Legal proceedings and conviction

On November 10, 2025, a court in Ouagadougou held a closed-door session where Ini Benjamine Esther Doli was found guilty of “insulting the head of state” and “attempting to demoralize the armed forces.” These charges, based on articles 352-2 and 312-11 of the Penal Code, stem from comments she shared on her personal Facebook profile. The court handed down a one-year prison sentence and a fine of 1,000,000 F.CFA. While she was cleared of “treason” charges due to lack of evidence, she remains imprisoned in the women’s wing of the Ouagadougou civil prison while her appeal is processed.

Me Doli is a respected legal professional who previously served as a deputy prosecutor in Bobo-Dioulasso and a government commissioner for the Administrative Court of Ouagadougou. She has been a registered member of the Burkina Faso Bar Association since mid-2024.

Abduction and restricted expression

The lawyer’s ordeal began on the night of August 31, 2025, when armed individuals claiming to be from the national gendarmerie took her from her home in Ouagadougou. This abduction occurred shortly after she returned from abroad and posted a critique of the current political climate on social media. In her last post before being taken, she compared the current administration unfavorably to the era of Thomas Sankara, noting that even during his revolution, the justice system was not bypassed to brutalize the population.

Before her arrest, Ini Benjamine Esther Doli frequently used her platform to advocate for the rule of law. She regularly denounced the kidnapping of citizens, the lack of judicial independence, and the use of state-funded weaponry to intimidate the public. She argued that the Burkinabè justice system was suffering from systemic delays and external interference.

A broader pattern of repression

The case of Me Doli is not isolated. Other prominent figures, such as Guy Hervé Kam, co-founder of the Balai citoyen movement, have faced similar arbitrary arrests and ongoing detention. The civil society landscape in Burkina Faso is currently under severe pressure, with numerous activists and journalists being targeted.

• Amadou Sawadogo was disappeared for several months before his release in May 2025.
• Miphal Ousmane Lankoandé remains missing after being abducted in March 2025.
• Investigative journalist Atiana Serge Oulon has not been seen since his kidnapping in June 2024.
• Journalists Boukary Ouoba, Luc Pagbeguem, and Guezouma Sanogo were also previously detained before their eventual release.

Urgent calls for justice

The Observatory views the sentencing of Ini Benjamine Esther Doli as a direct punishment for her legitimate human rights advocacy and her exercise of free speech. The following actions are being demanded from the military authorities in Burkina Faso:

• Immediate and unconditional release of Me Ini Benjamine Esther Doli and all other arbitrarily detained human rights defenders.
• Guarantees for the physical and psychological safety of all activists and legal professionals in the country.
• A transparent investigation into the abductions and forced disappearances of civil society members to identify those responsible.
• Full adherence to international human rights standards, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

International observers and human rights organizations continue to monitor the situation closely, urging the government of Burkina Faso to respect the fundamental freedoms of association and expression as protected by both national and international law.