The eight defendants arrested following the breakups which took place during the march on January 29, 2024, received suspended sentences and were released with the benefit of the doubt.At the end of the trial of the eight alleged culprits prosecuted for organizing an illicit demonstration, armed gatherings and acts of vandalism caused during the march of January 29, 2024, held at the Ouahigouya High Court, on Wednesday February 21, 2024, the President of the Court requested a 36-month suspended sentence for one defendant, 24 months for 4 and the three others were acquitted for the benefit of the doubt.Started around 8:30 a.m., the trial of the march of January 29, 2024 in Ouahigouya delivered its verdict.Only one defendant received a suspended sentence of 36 months with a fine of 2 million CFA francs firm to pay, four others were sentenced to 24 months suspended with a million CFA francs firm each must pay and the three others were acquitted for the benefit of the doubt.They are Abdoul Aziz Ouédraogo (member of the youth movement committed to the liberation of the North), Souleymane Sawadogo and Issouf Ouédraogo.They were accused of having organized an illicit demonstration, causing armed gatherings and acts of vandalism during the march on January 29, 2024.Which march caused ransacking of public property at the regional branch of Rtb2 North, the palace of the king of Yatenga, Naaba Kiiba, the 12 commando infantry regiment (RIC) and the gendarmerie company.On the stand this February 21, 2024, in a room full of people, the eight defendants appeared to defend themselves.All have pleaded not guilty. Among them, four defendants, namely the vice-president, the organization officer, the communications and information officer and a member come from the Youth Movement Engaged for the Liberation of the North.According to their version of the facts, everything was part of the association of young traders from the Ouahigouya market. 'During a citizen's watch night at the Place de la Nation, we were approac hed to organize a meeting in support of the transition. I therefore informed my president who lives in Ouagadougou. We therefore held a meeting but ultimately the association of young traders withdrew because its president said he had not been informed of the approach. But, we had already informed the population of this meeting through Watsapp groups, the town crier and other channels. », indicated the alleged culprit, the vice-president of the movement.And to continue that on January 28 was the day before the march, all members of civil society organizations were received by the governor of the region in order to postpone the march.'Back from this meeting, we sent voice messages and made a live video posted on our Facebook page informing the population of the cancellation of the meeting. That same evening, I received threats of violence against me that money had been received from the governor. This is what justifies its cancellation so they will come after us. I informed the rest of the group and asked them to take shelter. This is how me and the communications officer took refuge in Baporé, a neighboring village,' he confirmed.It was only afterwards that they learned that a march took place in Ouahigouya causing damage, according to him.The committed youth movement author of the marchWhy not use the same information channels to inform the population of the cancellation of the meeting? asked the prosecution.The defendant, responsible for communications, explained that there was little time to call a town crier. 'Our meeting with the governor ended around 6 p.m. So it was difficult to do it,' he replied.Did you have authorization to organize the meeting? asked the prosecutor. And the defendant, vice-president, replied that he did not know that we should have authorization before organizing a meeting.'We have already organized a meeting but I did not know that authorization was required,' he added.The president of the court explained to him that the city, the country is governed by national, tra ditional, religious laws. 'If there is freedom to come and go, it is because these laws are respected,' said the president.The victims, namely RTB2 North, Naaba Kiiba, the 12th RIC and the gendarmerie company, the judicial agent, Marou Ilboudo request that reparation be made. To do this, he estimated the damages for RTB2 at 4,644,450 FCFA, for the RIC at 2,000,050 FCFA.The king of Yatenga refused to file a civil suit and refused any compensation.Source: Burkina Information AgencyThis conference is an opportunity to discuss concrete formulas to help the Palestinian people in Gaza in their struggle against the Zionist Entity," said SG of the Tunisian General Labour Union (French: UGTT) Nourredine Tabboubi as he attended Thursday the conference of the women and working youth committees of the Arab Federation of Petroleum, Mining and Chemical Workers in Hammamet.It is also expected to enhance Arab energy solidarity, he further told TAP on the sidelines of an opening session of the two-day gathering.The organisation of the event in Tunisia demonstrates anew the position of the country and the labour union, he added.The UGTT has always pushed for energy solidarity in a bid to ensure self-sufficiency in Arab countries.An active, effective and militant trade union can create new dynamics in bringing views closer together, fostering a climate of Arab cooperation for the interest of Arab peoples and producing a unified Arab stance on a set of issues, mainly the Palestinian cause.SG o f the Arab Federation of Petroleum, Mining and Chemical Workers Imad Hamdi said the conference of youth and women is placed under the solgan "Supporting Palestine" to reaffirm the Arab Federation's solidarity with Palestinians as they endure the barbaric attacks of the Zionist entity.The Arab Federation's Executive Council will hold its forthcoming meeting in Egypt to provide moral and material support to Palestinians.The Federation will also seek to scale up coopeeration in energy as a tool to exert political and economic pressure and achieve prosperity for Arab countries, he added.SG of the General Union of Petroleum and Chemicals Salouane Smiri said the sector of energy is of strategic importance in Tunisia and can help chart a way out of the crisis if efforts are pooled and a social dialogue is set in motion between stakerholders and authorities.Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
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