Missed coup trial of 2015: lawyers comment on the verdict

At the end of the judgment of the failed coup d'etat of mid-September 2015, which resulted in 14 deaths, civil party and defense lawyers appreciated the verdict of the military court, which sentenced, among other defendants, Brigadier General Gilbert Diendéré to 20 years prison and the only gendarmerie general of Burkina Faso, Djibrill Bassolé to 10 years in prison. If the civil party says they are "satisfied" with this trial, which for them must be a textbook case, the defense lawyers are waiting to consult their clients in order to appeal or not.

Olivier Yelkouni, lawyer of Gilbert Diendéré: "Even a year is not good to take"

As you have followed, the court did not follow the prosecution in its requisitions. We will advise with our client. Even a year is not good to take because it is a question of freedom which is the most dear good of the man.

Prosper Farama, victims' lawyer: "This trial is a victory for the people of Burkina Faso"

We do not go into the comments of the quantums of the sentences that were inflicted on the accused. What was important to us as a civil party was above all that this trial should be held, and that it should come to an end. For the Burkinabè that we are, today is a historic day because from memory, in this country, it is one of the coups d'etat that gave rise to a fair trial, in full public transparency and which has not resulted in summary executions at night. In a lawsuit, there is never the whole truth. Who would have believed it one day that the generals Diendere and Bassolé and all those soldiers who a few years ago were the strongmen of the country, could answer questions of simple victims. For us already that's the victory of this trial. And what we hope is that the verdict of this trial is the death knell for all those who think that one can access by force to power in Burkina Faso. This is especially our great satisfaction. I think it's a victory for the people of Burkina Faso.

Mireille Barry: "We must have the judgment to assess the facts that motivated the judges' decision"

It must first be known that a sentence is never good to take, therefore, not ten years (Djibrill Bassolé) are not good to take. Before we can comment on anything, we must have the judgment to appreciate the facts that motivated the decision of the judges, and especially to collect the opinion of our client. But for our part, there is no betrayal because treason is to carry weapons against a state and as everyone knows, Mr. Bassole never carried a weapon against the State of Burkina Faso. I can not make the decision to appeal, only Mr. Bassolé can decide whether to call appeal or not.

Interviewed by Bernard BOUGOUM