According to the European Court of Human Rights, François Compaoré cannot be extradited to Burkina Faso. The Court has stated that Paris must reconsider the decree authorizing the extradition of the brother of the former Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré, who is implicated in the assassination of journalist Norbert Zongo in 1998.
In a decision rendered on September 7, 2023, the European Court opposes François Compaoré’s extradition from France to Burkina Faso. The reason cited is that there is doubt about the validity and reliability of the diplomatic assurances provided to France by the new Burkinabé authorities.
“After examining the diplomatic assurances provided by the State of Burkina Faso, which requested the extradition, and considering the criteria of reliability of these assurances in light of a radically changed political context following two military coups, the Court notes that these assurances were not reiterated by the second transitional government established by the new Burkinabé head of state who came to power on September 30, 2022. Furthermore, the Government, which received the applicant’s latest observations on this point on October 19, 2022, made no comment,” reads the decision.
François Compaoré was arrested at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport in October 2017. He was arrested based on a warrant issued by authorities in Ouagadougou. The following day, Burkina Faso requested his extradition from France and subsequently provided assurances to Paris that, even if the brother of the former Burkinabé President Blaise Compaoré were sentenced to death by an independent court, the sentence would not be carried out.
After numerous legal appeals by François Compaoré, who was released on bail on October 30, 2017, France eventually issued an extradition decree against him on February 21, 2020. However, the former advisor to Blaise Compaoré argued before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that his extradition would have consequences of exceptional gravity for his safety and physical integrity.