Source: http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-archive.cfm?country=Burkina+Faso
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 04:25:48+00:00

Document:
ONU : Liste des Etats membres, http://www.un.org/fr/members/, dernière visite le 10 Mars 2012.
 P. Pauline Yameogo, La peine de mort au Burkina Faso : Entre efficacité et volonté politique, Le Faso, http://www.lefaso.net/spip.php?article18492, Jan. 11, 2007. Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 15, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 U.S. Dept. of State, Background Note: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm, Sep. 8, 2010.
 U.S. Dept. of State, Background Note: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm, Oct. 31, 2011.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions in 2011, ACT 50/001/2012, Mar. 27, 2012.
 P. Pauline Yameogo, La peine de mort au Burkina Faso : Entre efficacité et volonté politique, Le Faso, http://www.lefaso.net/spip.php?article18492, Jan. 11, 2007.
 Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort, Un condamné à mort pour meurtre, http://www.abolition.fr/ecpm/french/news.php?new=665, Dec. 19, 2006.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions in 2008, p. 19, ACT 50/003/2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT50/003/2009/en, Mar. 24, 2009.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions in 2009, p. 6, ACT 50/001/2010, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT50/001/2010/en, Mar. 30, 2010.
 L'Observateur Paalga, Peine de mort : « Allons de la volonté politique au courage assumé », http://afriqueactu.net/11088/afrique/burkina-faso/peine-de-mort-allons-de-la-volonte-politique-au-courage-assume, Oct. 12, 2010.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions 2018, p. 39, 50/9870/2019, Apr. 10, 2019.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions 2017, p. 34, ACT 50/7955/2018, Apr. 12, 2018.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions in 2009, ACT 50/001/2010, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT50/001/2010/en, Mar. 30, 2010.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions in 2008, ACT 50/003/2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT50/003/2009/en, Mar. 24, 2009.
 Amnesty Intl., Death Sentences and Executions in 2007, ACT 50/001/2008, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ACT50/001/2008/en, Apr. 15, 2008.
 Joël Zoundi, Peine de Mort au Burkina : A Mort !, FasoZine, http://www.fasozine.com/index.php/societe/societe/4744-peine-de-mort-au-burkina-a-mort, Oct. 12, 2010. Amnesty Intl., Death Penalty: Countries Abolitionist in Practice, http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/countries-abolitionist-in-practice, last accessed Feb. 7, 2012. La Peine de Mort dans le Monde, La peine de mort – Burkina Faso, http://www.peinedemort.org/National/pays.php?pays=165, last accessed Feb. 7, 2012. Roger Hood & Carolyn Hoyle, The Death Penalty: A Worldwide Perspective, p. 410, Oxford University Press, 4th ed., 2008.
Parricide,  poisoning,  murder committed in furtherance of cannibalism, occult practices, or commercial practices,  murder to further another crime  and premeditated murder (except when a mother kills her new-born child)  are punishable by death.
Castration,  torture of a kidnapped person,  kidnapping of a juvenile,  aggravated theft,  destruction of military vehicles, buildings or facilities  and arson  , all when resulting in death, are punishable by death.
Robbery Not Resulting in Death.
Treason during times of war,  as well as provoking or offering to commit treason during times of war,  are punishable by death.
Espionage during times of war,  as well as provoking or offering to commit espionage during times of war,  are punishable by death.
War crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
According to one local expert, however, courts routinely find no mitigating circumstances in capital prosecutions conducted in absentia.  As an expert on Burkina Faso observes, courts are unable to evaluate mitigating factors at sentencing for a person convicted and sentenced in absentia, so judges are sometimes obliged to pronounce death sentences.  The practical reality is that all death sentences pronounced since 2005 (that we are aware of) have been pronounced without a consideration of mitigating circumstances.  Because this flaw arises from in-absentia sentencing rather than a legal requirement that the defendant be punished by death, we do not consider this a mandatory death penalty.
Burkina Faso has no mandatory death penalty. Under Article 81 of the Penal Code, unless otherwise provided by law, if the Court finds mitigating circumstances, a death sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment.  According to one local expert, however, courts routinely find no mitigating circumstances in capital prosecutions conducted in absentia.
Under Article 19 of the Penal Code, a woman under the sentence of death can only be executed after the issue of a certificate of ‘non-pregnancy’. If she is pregnant, a woman cannot be executed before she has given birth.  Additionally, Burkina Faso is party to the ICCPR,  which prohibits the execution of pregnant women.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 324, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 326, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 337, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 358, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 401, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 452-453, law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, art. 197, Law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 520, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 116, 534, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 453, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 89, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, arts.189-190, Law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 92, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 91, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, arts. 176-178, 185, 187, 194, 197, 198, 210, 214, 232, 237, 238, Law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 313-315, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 60, 62, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 332, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 188, 184-185, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 325, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 81, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Guillaume Colin, affiliated with the WCADP, External Questionnaire for DPW, DPW Doc. Burkina Faso External Questionnaire-1, Mar. 10, 2011.
 Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, art. 155, Law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, arts. 157, 161, 164, Law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, ICCPR, 999 U.N.T.S. 171, Dec. 16, 1966, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-4&chapter=4〈=en, last accessed Feb. 7, 2012.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1577 U.N.T.S. 3, Nov. 20, 1989, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=UNTSONLINE&tabid=2&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4〈=en#Participants, last accessed Feb. 7, 2012.
 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention, Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: Burkina Faso, p. 22, para. 76, U.N. Doc. CRC/C/BFA/CO/3-4, Jan. 29, 2010. Penal Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 63, 74, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 19, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 African Union, Signatories, Accessions, and Ratifications, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Doc. 0003, http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/96Welfare_of_the_Child.pdf, Jan. 27, 2011.A.U, List of Countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Protocol to The African Charter On The Rights And Welfare Of The Child, Doc. 0003,http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/List/African%20Charter%20on%20the%20Rights%20and%20Welfare%20of%20the%20Child.pdf , Mar. 1, 2010.
 A.U, African Charter On The Rights And Welfare Of The Child, art. 30,e, A.U. Doc. CAB/LEG/24.9/49, Jul. 11, 1990.
 African Union, List of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, Doc. 0025, http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/999Rights_of_Women.pdf, Feb. 14, 2011.A.U, List of Countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women In Africa, Doc. 0025, http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/List/Protocol%20on%20the%20Rights%20of%20Women.pdf , last accessed Oct. 21, 2010.
 A.U., Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women In Africa, art. 4.2.j), http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/Protocol%20on%20the%20Rights%20of%20Women.pdf , Jul. 11, 2003.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 73, Law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, Optional Prot. to the ICCPR, 999 U.N.T.S. 171, Dec. 16, 1966, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-5&chapter=4〈=en, last accessed Feb. 7, 2012.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, Second Optional Prot. to the ICCPR, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty, 1642 U.N.T.S. 414, Dec. 15, 1989, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-12&chapter=4〈=en, last accessed Feb. 7, 2012.
 African Union, List of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights, Doc. 0002, http://au.int/en/sites/default/files/African_Charter_on_Human_and_Peoples_Rights.pdf, Aug. 2, 2011.
 African Union, List of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, Doc. 0025, http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/999Rights_of_Women.pdf, Feb. 14, 2011.
 African Union, Signatories, Accessions, and Ratifications, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Doc. 0003, http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/96Welfare_of_the_Child.pdf, Jan. 27, 2011.
 U.N.G.A., 65th Session, Promotion and Protection of Human Rights: human rights questions, includng alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, p. 5, U.N. Doc. A/65/456/Add.2, Dec. 8, 2010.
 U.N.G.A., 63rd Session, 70th Plenary Meeting, pp. 16- 17, U.N. Doc.A/63/PV.70, Dec. 18, 2008.
Under Article 2 of the Constitution, the protection of life, safety, and physical integrity are guaranteed.  This ‘protection’ of life seems to be considered by Burkina Faso as a right to life,  implying that death penalty could be challenged as unconstitutional.
As of February 2012, however, Burkina Faso had taken no concrete steps towards abolition.
By the conclusion of our research in February 2012, we could not find any significant case concerning the death penalty in Burkina Faso.
 Constitution of Burkina Faso, art. 2, as amended through to Jan. 22, 2002.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, National Report Submitted In Accordance With Paragraph 15 (A) Of The Annex To Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1, Burkina Faso, p. 5, para. 5, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/WG.6/3/BFA/1, Aug. 21, 2008.
 Constitution of Burkina Faso, art.151, as amended through to Jan. 22, 2002.
 Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 5, law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996.
 Constitution of Burkina Faso, Preamble, as amended through to Jan. 22, 2002.
 Guillaume Colin, affiliated with WCADP, DPW Doc. Burkina Faso E-1, Feb. 8, 2012.
 Caroline Sculier, Towards a Universal Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty, Strategies, Arguments and Perspectives, World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, p. 10, http://www.mediastroika.com/hosting/coalition/media/resourcecenter/wcadp-rapportmoratoire2010-fr.pdf, Feb. 2010.
 U.N.G.A., 62nd Session, 76th Plenary Meeting, pp. 16- 17, U.N. Doc.A/62/PV.76, Dec. 18, 2007. U.N.G.A., 63rd Session, 70th Plenary Meeting, pp. 16- 17, U.N. Doc.A/63/PV.70, Dec. 18, 2008. U.N.G.A., 65th Session, 71st Plenary Meeting, pp. 18-19, U.N. Doc. A/65/PV.71, Dec. 21, 2010.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Burkina Faso, pp. 7, 8-9, 9, 13, 15, 16, 20, paras. 38, 44, 49, 72, 78, 87, 99, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/80, Jan. 7, 2009.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Burkina Faso, p. 18, para. 98.9, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/80, Jan. 7, 2009.
 L'Observateur Paalga, Peine de mort : « Allons de la volonté politique au courage assumé », http://afriqueactu.net/11088/afrique/burkina-faso/peine-de-mort-allons-de-la-volonte-politique-au-courage-assume, Oct. 12, 2010. Caroline Sculier, Towards a Universal Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty, Strategies, Arguments and Perspectives, World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, p. 10, http://www.mediastroika.com/hosting/coalition/media/resourcecenter/wcadp-rapportmoratoire2010-fr.pdf, Feb. 2010. Amnesty Intl., Newsletter Peine de Mort, Edition trimestrielle no. 13, Oct. 7, 2010.
 Caroline Sculier, Towards a Universal Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty, Strategies, Arguments and Perspectives, World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, pp. 10-11, http://www.mediastroika.com/hosting/coalition/media/resourcecenter/wcadp-rapportmoratoire2010-fr.pdf, Feb. 2010.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Burkina Faso, pp. 7, 18, paras. 39, 98.9, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/80, Jan. 7, 2009.
 Constitution of Burkina Faso, art. 54, as amended through to Jan. 22, 2002.
 Decree on Clemency, art. 2, Apr. 18, 1961. Elisabeth L. Kangambega, Droit Pénal Général, p. 313, Collection Précis de droit burkinabè, Université de Ouagadougou, 2007.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 684, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968. Penal Code of Burkina Faso, art. 17, law No. 043/96/ADP, Nov. 13, 1996. Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, art. 144, law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Decree on Clemency, art. 3, Apr. 18, 1961. P. Pauline Yameogo, La peine de mort au Burkina Faso : Entre efficacité et volonté politique, Le Faso, http://www.lefaso.net/spip.php?article18492, Jan. 11, 2007. Elisabeth L. Kangambega, Droit Pénal Général, p. 312, Collection Précis de droit burkinabè, Université de Ouagadougou, 2007.
 Law on the Organization of the Judiciary, arts. 10-12, Law No. 010/93/ADP, May 17, 1993.
 Law on Criminal Court Procedure, art. 5, No. 51-93 ADP, Dec. 16, 1993.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 621, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968.
 Bachirou Nana, Tribunal militaire de Ouagadougou délocalisé au RSP : Deux dossiers d’homicide en jugement, Le Faso, http://www.lefaso.net/spip.php?article39075&rubrique4, Oct. 21, 2010.
 Law on the Organization of the Judiciary, arts. 11-12, Law No. 010/93/ADP, May 17, 1993.
 Code of Military Justice of Burkina Faso, arts.34-46, law No. 24-94 ADP, May 24, 1994.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 575, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968. P. Pauline Yameogo, La peine de mort au Burkina Faso : Entre efficacité et volonté politique, Le Faso, http://www.lefaso.net/spip.php?article18492, Jan. 11, 2007.
 Law of Burkina Faso on the Organization, Powers and Operation of the Cassation Court and Its Procedure, art. 18, Law No. 013-2000/AN, May 9, 2000. Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 605, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, arts. 616 and following, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 617, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 616, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968.
 Penal Procedure Code of Burkina Faso, art. 619, Ordinance No. 68-7, Feb. 21, 1968.
As of February 2011, we were not able to ascertain whether anyone was currently on death row.
As of February 2012, we could not find any reports of foreign nationals currently under sentence of death in Burkina Faso.
As of February 2012, we could not find any reports of women currently under sentence of death in Burkina Faso.
As of February 2012, we could not find any reports of individuals currently under sentence of death who may have been under the age of 18 at the time the crime was committed.
As of February 2012, we could not find any reports regarding the racial/ethnic composition on death row.
 Guillaume Colin, Programme Officer, FIACAT, email to DPW, Mar. 10, 2011.
 Law of Burkina Faso on the Organization, regime and regulation of penitentiary institutions, art. 33, Kiti an VI 103, Dec. 1, 1988.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council,Summary Prepared By The Office Of The High Commissioner For Human Rights, In Accordance With Paragraph 15 (C) Of The Annex To Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1, Burkina Faso, p. 3, para. 10, U.N. Doc.A/HRC/WG.6/3/BFA/3, Sep. 15, 2008.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council,Summary Prepared By The Office Of The High Commissioner For Human Rights, In Accordance With Paragraph 15 (C) Of The Annex To Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1, Burkina Faso, p. 3, para. 9, U.N. Doc.A/HRC/WG.6/3/BFA/3, Sep. 15, 2008.
 U.S. Dept. of State, 2009 Human Rights Report: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/af/154333.htm, Apr. 8, 2011.
 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 44 of the Convention, Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: Burkina Faso, p. 9, para. 38, U.N. Doc. CRC/C/BFA/CO/3-4, Jan. 29, 2010.
 Law on the Organization of the Judiciary, art. 13, Law No. 010/93/ADP, May 17, 1993. Decree on the Organization of Legal Aid, art. 19, Decree No. 2009-558/PRES/PM/MJ/MEF/MATD, Jul. 22, 2009. Law on Criminal Court Procedure, art. 28, Law No. 51-93 ADP, Dec. 16, 1993.
 U.S. Dept. of State, 2010 Human Rights Report: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/af/154333.htm, Apr. 8, 2011.
 Law on the Organization of the Judiciary, art. 13, Law No. 010/93/ADP, May 17, 1993. Decree on the Organization of Legal Aid, art. 7, Decree No. 2009-558/PRES/PM/MJ/MEF/MATD, Jul. 22, 2009.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, National Report Submitted In Accordance With Paragraph 15 (A) Of The Annex To Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1, Burkina Faso, p. 10, para. 41, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/WG.6/3/BFA/1, Aug. 21, 2008.
 U.S. Dept. of State, Background Note: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm, Oct. 31, 2011.U.S. Dept. of State, Background Note: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm, Sep. 8, 2010.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Examen Périodique Universel, Exposé écrit par Fédération Internationale de l’ACAT (Action des Chrétiens pour l'Abolition de la Torture-FIACAT), organisation non gouvernementale dotée du statut consultatif spécial, p. 2, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/NGO/53, Feb. 25, 2009.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, National Report Submitted In Accordance With Paragraph 15 (A) Of The Annex To Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1, Burkina Faso, p. 20, para. 96, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/WG.6/3/BFA/1, Aug. 21, 2008.
 U.S. Dept. of State, 2010 Human Rights Report: Burkina Faso, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/af/154333.htm, Apr. 8, 2011.. See also, regarding the independence of the judiciary: U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Summary Prepared By The Office Of The High Commissioner For Human Rights, In Accordance With Paragraph 15 (C) Of The Annex To Human Rights Council Resolution 5/1, Burkina Faso, p. 5, para. 19, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/WG.6/3/BFA/3, Sep. 15, 2008.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Examen Périodique Universel, Exposé écrit par Fédération Internationale de l’ACAT (Action des Chrétiens pour l'Abolition de la Torture-FIACAT), organisation non gouvernementale dotée du statut consultatif spécial, p. 3, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/NGO/53, Feb. 25, 2009.
 Amnesty Intl., Human Rights in Burkina Faso, Report 2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/burkina-faso/report-2009, last accessed Feb. 13, 2012.
The last review of Burkina Faso through the U.N. Universal Periodic Review process took place in 2008. During this review, Burkina Faso’s position on the death penalty and abolition appeared inconsistent. While it voted in favor of the U.N.G.A. Moratorium Resolutions in 2007  and 2008  (and in 2010),  Burkina Faso did not support the UPR recommendations  that it abolish the death penalty and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR.  However, it supported recommendations to consider the establishment of a de jure moratorium on death penalty with a view to abolishing capital punishment in national legislation; adopt legislation aimed at ultimately abolishing death penalty; and consider steps to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances.  As of February 2012, however, Burkina Faso had taken none of these concrete steps towards abolition.
At the 10th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2009, Burkina Faso delegates responded to the recommendation that it abolish the death penalty  and ratify the Second Optional Protocol of the ICCPR by acknowledging the "necessity" of abolition, and recalling that it was a de facto abolitionist state. It went on, however to emphasize the preexisting need to raise awareness among elected representatives in order to ensure that an abolition bill would be adopted, thus implying that abolition was not a short-term objective.  Burkina Faso also supported the recommendation that it take all steps to improve prisoners’ conditions, improve detention facilities and overall detention conditions, including by means of training law enforcement officials in human rights.
 U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Burkina Faso, Reporting status, http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/NewhvVAllSPRByCountry?OpenView&Start=1&Count=250&Expand=27.2#27.2, last accessed Feb. 13, 2012.
 U.N.G.A., 62nd Session, 76th Plenary Meeting, pp. 16- 17, U.N. Doc.A/62/PV.76, Dec. 18, 2007.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Burkina Faso, p. 20, para. 99, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/80, Jan. 7, 2009.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Burkina Faso, p. 7, para. 38, pp. 8-9, para. 44, p. 9, para. 49, p. 13, para. 72, p. 15, para. 78, p. 16, para. 87, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/80, Jan. 7, 2009.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Burkina Faso, p. 21, para. 101, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/10/80, Jan. 7, 2009.
 U.N.G.A. Human Rights Council, Live Webcast, Tenth Session, 30th Plenary Meeting, Consideration of the Outcome on Burkina Faso, H.E. Mrs. Salamata Sawadogo, Minister for the Promotion of Human Rights, Time : 3:16 to 3:49, http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=090319, Mar. 19, 2009.

References: art. 15
 art. 324
 art. 326
 art. 337
 art. 358
 art. 401
 art. 197
 art. 520
 art. 453
 art. 89
 art. 92
 art. 91
 art. 332
 art. 325
 art. 81
 art. 155
 art. 19
 art. 30
 art. 4
 art. 73
 art. 2
 art.151
 art. 5
 art. 54
 art. 2
 art. 684
 art. 17
 art. 144
 art. 3
 art. 5
 art. 621
 art. 575
 art. 18
 art. 605
 art. 617
 art. 616
 art. 619
 art. 33
 art. 13
 art. 19
 art. 28
 art. 13
 art. 7