[JURIST] Burkina Faso general Gilbert Diendere [BBC profile] was charged Tuesday for his role in last month’s coup attempt and will face a military tribunal. Diendere has been charged with 11 crimes including murder, collusion with foreign forces and threatening state security. Former foreign minister Djibril Bassole [backgrounder] was also arrested for his involvement in last month’s coup although he has so far denied any involvement. Diendere was part of the elite Presidential Security Regiment (RSP) which was loyal to former president Blaise Compaore, who served as the country’s long-time ruler until he was ousted in an uprising last year.

Burkina Faso’s government has been the subject of intense upheaval for the past few years. Earlier last week the interim government of Burkina Faso first apprehended [JURIST report] Diendere for his role the week-long military coup in September. Compaore resigned in October 2014 [BBC report] after a military takeover and protests against his plan to issue a constitutional amendment that would extend his 27-year term. In August Burkina Faso’s constitutional court rejected [JURIST report] a presidential candidate from Compaore’s Congress for Democracy and Progress Party, which marked the sixth time a candidate from that party had been rejected. In January Amnesty International urged the national government to investigate [JURIST report] excessive use of military force against anti-government protesters when Compaore exited from power.