French court approves extradition of ex-Burkina Faso president’s brother

PARIS - A Paris court of appeal on Wednesday approved an extradition request by Burkina Faso’s government for the brother of ex-Burkinabe president Blaise Compaore, a court spokeswoman said.

Police detained Francois Compaore at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris in October 2017 on an international arrest warrant related to the 1998 murder of Norbert Zongo, who published Burkina Faso’s Independent newspaper.

The killing of Zongo, who had been investigating the murder of a driver who worked for Francois Compaore, became a symbol of repression during Blaise Compaore’s 27- year rule, which ended in 2014 at the hands of a popular uprising. Compaore’s lawyer Pierre- Olivier Sur has said the charges against his client are politically motivated by a Burkinabe government unable to try Blaise Compaore, whom the government of neighbouring Ivory Coast refuses to extradite.

Blaise Compaore fled to Ivory Coast during the uprising. He faces an international arrest warrant in connection with the 1987 murder of former president Thomas Sankara.