Burkina Faso award-winner vows to keep defending rights

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — For Daouda Diallo the threat of death is constant in conflict-riddled Burkina Faso. One of the country’s most outspoken human rights defenders, the 39-year-old has documented more than 1,000 extrajudicial killings by security forces and jihadis since Islamic extremists launched a violent campaign in the country six years ago. And that has earned him many enemies. Violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group has spiked across the once peaceful West African nation. Efforts to control the violence, by the military and other groups, has seen a rise in abuses against civilians. Diallo’s work in Burkina Faso has been internationally recognized with the Martin Ennals award, bestowed each year by a consortium of 10 international rights groups.