Burkina Faso civil society groups have demanded an independent investigation into the death of prominent cyberactivist Alain Christophe Traoré (known as “Alino Faso”) while detained in Côte d’Ivoire.
Ivorian authorities reported the 44-year-old hanged himself on July 24 at a gendarmerie facility in Abidjan—his alleged second suicide attempt in days. Burkinabè youth organizations and protesters in Ouagadougou have rejected the account, accusing Ivorian security forces of killing the influential junta supporter.
Traoré, a vocal backer of Burkina Faso’s military regime led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, was part of the Bataillons de communication d’intervention rapide—a network promoting Sahelian juntas in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. With over 410,000 Facebook followers, he mobilized online support for anti-Western, militarist governance. Since 2021, he resided in Côte d’Ivoire, managing a telecom firm and owning the Burkinabè-themed restaurant Cocorico and Fish in Abidjan.
Arrested on January 10, 2025, Traoré faced charges of “collaborating with foreign agents to undermine Côte d’Ivoire’s military, diplomatic, or economic interests,” according to sources covering the case. His death intensifies long-simmering tensions between the neighbors, as Burkina Faso’s junta repeatedly accuses Ivory Coast of conspiring with Western powers to destabilize its regime.
Protesters in Ouagadougou (July 29) demanded repatriation of his remains and an impartial inquiry, amplifying fears of deteriorating regional relations.
