Burkina Faso’s military government is intensifying a broad crackdown on civil society through dissolutions, restrictive laws, and administrative measures targeting both domestic and international organisations, according to human rights groups including Human Rights Watch, FIDH, the World Organisation Against Torture, and Observatoire KISAL. On April 15, 2026, authorities announced the dissolution of 118 civil society organisations, many of which were engaged in human rights and humanitarian work, citing a 2025 law on freedom of association without providing clear evidence of noncompliance.
Human rights defenders say the move reflects a wider pattern of repression that has expanded since the military took power in September 2022. Since then, dozens of organisations and media outlets have been suspended, banned, or expelled on vague grounds, while activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers have faced arrests, forced disappearances, and unlawful conscription. Observers warn that these actions have significantly narrowed civic space and created a climate of fear for independent voices.
Authorities defend the crackdown under the July 2025 law, which was presented as a regulatory measure to combat terrorism financing and money laundering. However, rights groups argue that the law imposes excessive restrictions on civil society, including burdensome registration requirements and constraints on foreign organisations, such as mandatory appointment of Burkinabè nationals to key positions. Critics also point to a related legal provision that allows citizenship to be revoked for actions deemed against state interests, raising concerns about statelessness.
Human rights organisations note that some of the dissolved groups were active and legally compliant, including organisations working on women’s rights and anti-torture advocacy. They argue that the government’s actions are legally questionable because compliance deadlines under the 2025 law have not yet expired. Experts describe the mass dissolution as one of the most severe blows to civil society since the military takeover.
The crackdown has also been accompanied by tighter administrative controls, including new requirements for organisations to obtain a “statistical visa” before conducting research or surveys. Aid groups report that these measures hinder independent data collection and humanitarian work in an already restricted environment. Several international NGOs have also had their licenses suspended or revoked in recent months, often without clear justification.
The repression has extended to individuals as well, with more than 70 humanitarian workers reportedly detained since 2022. In 2025, the UN’s top representative in Burkina Faso was expelled, and staff of international organisations have faced arrests on allegations such as espionage and treason. Security forces have also used emergency mobilisation laws to conscript critics, journalists, and activists, with some individuals still missing after being forcibly taken.
Rights groups stress that international law protects freedom of association and expression, and that restrictions must meet strict standards of necessity and proportionality, which they say the current measures do not satisfy. They warn that the ongoing crackdown is dismantling independent oversight and weakening protections for vulnerable communities.
Human rights organisations are calling on Burkina Faso’s authorities to end the repression of civil society, restore legal space for independent organisations, and uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, emphasizing that a strong civil society is essential for accountability and protection of human rights.
