The Burkinabe government adopted a draft bill on religious freedoms during a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
This initiative was presented as a means of strengthening national cohesion and preserving public order in a context marked by tensions linked to extremism.
According to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Emile Zerbo, the text aims to fill a legal void in the framework governing the exercise of religious freedoms in Burkina Faso. “The
Executive branch is seeking to fill the legal void that has characterised the framework for the exercise of religious freedoms until now,” he explained.
The draft bill reaffirms freedom of worship while introducing regulatory mechanisms. Among other things, it provides for strict regulations on the establishment of places of worship, which will now
have to comply with urban planning rules.
The text also prohibits the establishment of places of worship within public services, with the
exception of healthcare facilities, prisons, and military barracks.
In an effort to prevent abuses, the bill also introduces sanctions against hate speech and noise or social disturbances related to religious practice. For the government, these measures aim to contain
the risks of religious intolerance, radicalisation, and violent extremism, in a context where social stability is considered fragile.
The authorities reiterate that the Burkinabe constitution enshrines the principle of state secularism. However, the increasing influence of religion in the public sphere and intercommunal tensions have made better regulation of the sector necessary.
The text, the result of a consultation process initiated in 2015, stems from extensive dialogue
with public and private stakeholders and experts from various disciplines.
This participatory approach, according to Minister Zerbo, allowed for the consideration of the concerns of different religious denominations and civil society. The council of ministers approved the transmission of this draft bill to the transitional legislative assembly for review and adoption. The authorities see this as an important step in consolidating Burkina Faso’s model of secularism, which reconciles religious freedoms with the imperatives of security and social cohesion.
HO/te/fss/as/APA