Amnesty International has strongly criticized the dissolution of 118 NGOs and associations in Burkina Faso, warning that the move represents a serious attack on freedom of association and civic space in the country. The organization argues that shutting down civil society groups contradicts Burkina Faso’s own constitutional guarantees as well as its international human rights obligations under key treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Human rights experts have described the decision as part of a broader pattern of increasing repression against civil society. Authorities are accused of using multiple tactics to restrict civic space, including restrictive laws, intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrests, and prosecutions targeting activists and human rights defenders. Amnesty International has called on the government to immediately reverse the decision and allow organizations to operate freely without fear of retaliation.
The dissolution of NGOs follows a series of recent measures that have further tightened control over political and civil life in Burkina Faso. These include the earlier dissolution of all political parties in January 2026 after years of suspension, as well as financial restrictions imposed in November 2025 requiring NGOs to transfer accounts to a state-controlled banking system, raising concerns over surveillance and potential freezing of funds.
Since the military takeover following coups in 2022, Burkina Faso has remained under transitional rule, with the transition period extended until 2029. Observers note that these developments collectively signal a continued shrinking of democratic space and increasing restrictions on independent civil society activity in the country.
