Alain Faso: Burkina Faso rejects Ivory Coast's statement that activist died by suicide

Burkina Faso has said it considers the death of a Burkinabé activist in custody in Ivory Coast to be an "assassination".

Alain Traoré, commonly known as Alino Faso, had been arrested six months ago in Ivory Coast, on charges of espionage.

On Saturday, the Ivorian authorities announced that 44-year-old Traoré had taken his own life two days prior, while being held at a military academy.

Burkina Faso's information minister said the government "rejects the suicide theory", while Traoré's supporters have accused Ivory Coast of carrying out "a cover-up for political repression".

Traoré was a prominent advocate of the military-led governments in Burkina Faso and other countries across the Sahel region.