Hundreds of CSOs dissolved or suspended; journalists and NGOs continue to face restrictions

INTRODUCTION

This update covers civic space developments in Burkina Faso from 1st October 2025 to 5th May 2026, and includes the following:

• 118 civil society organisations (CSOs), including prominent human rights organisations, dissolved: another 564 CSOs suspended between April and 5th May 2026.
• Political parties formally dissolved.
• Staff members of humanitarian CSO in Burkina Faso arrested.
• Adoption of decrees and laws restricting freedom of association.
• Judges and lawyer abducted following an unfavourable court ruling.
• Journalists subjected to online smear campaign.
• Lawyer sentenced for criticising the military government.
• Protest in Ouagadougou against EU Parliament Resolution.

Death penalty reinstated

On 4th December 2025 Burkina Faso’s Council of Ministers adopted a bill amending the Penal Code to reinstate the death penalty for crimes such as high treason, terrorism, and espionage, nearly seven years after the country had abolished it in 2018. According to the Minister of Justice, Edasso Rodrigue Bayala the bill is part of reforms aimed at creating “a justice system that meets the deep aspirations of our people”. The bill is yet to be approved by the transitional parliament and reviewed by the courts before it becomes law. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW) “restoring the death penalty risks institutionalising a climate of fear and creates another tool of government repression”.

ASSOCIATION

Military authorities dissolve 118 CSOS, suspend another 564 associations

On 15th April 2026, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Mobility announced the dissolution of 118 civil society organisations operating across the country. The order cites non-compliance with the July 2025 law on freedom of association (law n°011-2025/ALT) as grounds for their dissolution. One week later, on 21st April 2026, a ministerial order suspended 359 associations for “failure to renew their governing bodies”. A few weeks later, on 5th May 2026, the military government suspended another 205 associations for the same reasons.

Law 0011-2025/ALT on freedom of association, aimed to regulate the non-profit sector, increase transparency and combat money laundering and terrorism financing, was adopted in July 2025 and imposes stringent and burdensome requirements regarding reporting, administrative oversight and legal compliance, with sanctions for non-compliance, including dissolution. The law granted a one-year grace period to comply with the new requirements, a period that had not yet expired.

Among those CSOs dissolved were prominent human rights organisations such as the Christian Action for Abolition of Torture (ACAT), the Burkinabè section of the African Meeting for the Defence of Human Rights (RADDHO), Burkinabè Coalition for Women’s Rights (CBDF), CSOs focused on the prevention of HIV/Aids, alongside organisations working on environmental protection, media and communication, religious sectors and trade unions.

The dissolution and suspension of CSOs was widely condemned by human rights groups. Binta Sidibé Gascon, President of Observatoire KISAL told HRW:

In the past year, several CSOs were suspended or saw their operating licences revoked, as reported previously by the CIVICUS Monitor.

Burkina Faso junta formally dissolves all political parties

On 29th January 2026, Burkina Faso’s military government formally dissolved all political parties through a government decree approved by the Council of Ministers. Activities of political parties had already been suspended since 30th September 2022.

The dissolution affects over 100 registered political parties that existed in the country before the 2022 military coup, including 15 political parties who had representation in parliament following the 2020 general election. The dissolution decree repealed all laws regulating political parties and requires parties to transfer their assets to the State. According to Émile Zerbo, Minister of Territorial Administration, the decision is part of efforts to “rebuild the state” and claimed that the “proliferation of political parties has led to excesses, fostering division among citizens and weakening the social fabric”.

During an interview on 2nd April 2026, just three months after the military government formally dissolved all political parties, Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, declared that democracy is not for the country and people need to “forget” about democracy. As reported previously by the CIVICUS Monitor, the transition from military to civilian rule had already been extended with five years in May 2024.

The decision to dissolve all political parties drew international criticism. On 5th February 2026, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk issued a press release, urging the Government of Burkina Faso to immediately reverse the decision to dissolve political parties and repeal restrictive laws that limit freedom of association.

Detention and release of eight staff members of humanitarian CSO in Burkina Faso

Between late July and early October 2025, the military authorities in Ouagadougou detained eight staff members, both national and international employees, of the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), a Netherlands-based CSO focused on humanitarian safety by monitoring and reporting on safety trends for humanitarian actors. INSO’s country director, Jean-Christophe Pégon, was detained on 28th July 2025, following a visit by officers of the Burkinabè Security Services. Between July and October 2025, another four national and three international staff were detained, on accusations of espionage and treason.

Authorities accused the eight INSO staff members of “collecting sensitive data without authorisation” while also continuing to “engage, clandestinely or covertly in activities such as information gathering and holding meetings, either in person or online” despite INSO’s suspension, which reportedly went into force on 31st July 2025. In a public statement issued on 7th October 2025, INSO categorically rejected the allegations made on its activities in Burkina Faso.

According to Aljazirahnews media outlet, on 5th December 2025, Burkina Faso authorities released the eight INSO workers.

Decrees and laws restricting freedom of association

On 6th November 2025, the Council of Ministers adopted a decree to implement Law No. 11-2025/ALT, on freedom of association. This law, adopted in July 2025, aimed to regulate the nonprofit sector, enhance transparency, and combat money laundering and terrorism financing. The Law on Freedom of Association imposes stringent and burdensome requirements related to reporting, administrative oversight, and legal compliance, with penalties for noncompliance, including dissolution. A one-year grace period was granted for compliance with these new requirements, which has not yet expired.

The November 2025 decree reinforces the Law on freedom of association’s strict administrative requirements, such as documentation for the declaration of existence of a national association or union, authorisation to operate and renew authorisation for foreign associations, modifications of statutes, changes in leadership or financial officers, declaration of existence of a union or merger of associations, and recognition of public interest status. These requirements formalise the regular monitoring of internal structures, bylaws, leadership, and activities of associations, including foreign ones, through the obligation to obtain specific operating authorisations. This decree may lead to administrative barriers, limit organisational flexibility, and expose associations to the risk of arbitrary refusal or sanctions, particularly through conditional recognition of public interest status.

Additionally, according to HRW, by the end of 2025, the government authorities introduced new regulations requiring organisations to obtain a ‘statistical visa’ before conducting surveys or research. This visa, issued by the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD), is a prerequisite for any entity seeking to collect data from the Burkinabè population for statistical purposes. According to reports, any statistical activities conducted without this authorisation will be stopped by the responsible minister, and their results will be deemed invalid. Also, failure to obtain the statistical visa would lead to administrative sanctions ranging from five to 75 million CFA Francs (approximately $128,100 USD), depending on the operation’s budget. A humanitarian worker interviewed by HRW remarked that this requirement “obstructs the independent collection and analysis of data in an already highly restrictive environment.”

Furthermore, on 16th October 2025, the Council of Ministers adopted a decree mandating that NGOs and approved associations in Burkina Faso, whether under Burkinabe or foreign law, to open and maintain their availability accounts exclusively with the Treasury Deposits Bank (BDT), (Banque des Dépôts du Trésor’), a state-run bank. According to reports NGO and associations with BDT accounts must record all fund transactions, with all receipts and expenditures processed exclusively through these accounts. In addition, NGOs and associations are required to provide financial statements and supporting documents related to any transaction they perform at the request of the BDT. In the event of non-compliance with the decree, NGOs and associations will pay a fine of 10% of the improperly handled funds, with a minimum fine of 10 million CFA Francs (approximately $17000 USD). According to the Minister Delegate for the Budget, Fatoumata Bako/Traoré, this measure aims to enhance monitoring, facilitate financial oversight, and bolster efforts against money laundering.

Moreover, on 1st September 2025, the Transitional Legislative Assembly adopted a new Code of Persons and Family (CPF), commonly referred to as the family code. This code grants authorities the power to revoke Burkinabè citizenship from individuals deemed to act against the state’s interests, posing a risk of statelessness for targeted individuals.

Judges and lawyer abducted following an unfavourable court ruling

According to HRW, between 10th and 15th October 2025 unidentified men in civilian clothing, claiming to be ANR agents, abducted five judges including Urbain Meda, Seydou Sanou, Benoit Zoungrana, Moussa Dianda, and Alban Somé, and lawyer Arnaud Sempebré from their homes in Ouagadougou. The abductions followed a July 2025 ruling by the Ouagadougou Court of Appeal that dismissed a high-profile smuggling case. Meda, Sanou, Zoungrana, and Dianda served at the Ouagadougou Court of Appeal, while Somé worked at the Court of First Instance in Ouagadougou. Sempebré, who was reported missing on 13th October, was the defence counsel in the smuggling case.

The five judges and Sempebré were involved in the three-year smuggling case in which traders and customs officers were accused of supplying fuel to Islamist armed groups. In July 2025, the Ouagadougou Court of Appeal upheld the Court of First Instance’s decision not to proceed with criminal charges against the accused traders and customs officers—a ruling that was unfavourable to the prosecution and effectively ended the case. A member of the Burkina Faso judiciary expressed concern that the abductions of the five judges and Sempebré were possibly reprisals for their role in the dismissal of the smuggling case, blocking the prosecution from proceeding with the criminal case against the traders and customs officers. The Burkinabè Bar Association officially requested information about Sempebré’s whereabouts on 20th October but received no response and called for his immediate release.

Additionally, on 20th October 2025 unidentified men abducted Jean-Jacques Wendpanga Ouedraogo, a former Attorney General of the Ouagadougou Court of Appeal. In August 2023, Ouedraogo ordered the arrest of Amsétou Nikiéma, known as Adja, a traditional healer reportedly close to the military government, who faced charges of assault and battery, among other offences. According to social media sources, Ouedraogo was released on 21st October 2025.

Human Rights Watch describes these abductions as part of “a wave of repression by the Burkinabè military junta against the judiciary and the media”.

EXPRESSION

Journalist targeted with online smear campaign following release of a report

On 11th April 2026, Yousra Elbagir, a Sky News journalist reporting on Africa, faced smear campaign after releasing a report on Burkina Faso. The day before, on 10th April 2026, Sky News aired a report titled “President for life’: Inside Traoré’s Burkina Faso,” directed by and featuring Elbagir. This news report included an interview with President Ibrahim Traoré, conducted on 2nd April 2026, to commemorate the first anniversary of the “Progressive Popular Revolution”, a political and social movement launched by Captain Ibrahim Traoré aimed at fundamentally transforming Burkina Faso around the ideals of sovereignty, social justice, and national development. Elbagir’s report highlighted alleged human rights violations, such as enforced disappearances, enforced conscription into the armed forces, and killing of civilians, allegedly by the military. After the news report aired, Elbagir became the target of an online smear campaign by pro-military junta supporters, where she was called “mercenary of the pen” to a “bat”. Some pro-military junta supporters called for a smear campaign against Elbagir journalist on WhatsApp by circulating a phone number presented as hers, which is said to have been made public by the “Rapid Communication Response Battalion (BIR-C),” a digital militia group loyal to Ibrahim Traoré

Additionally, some internet users targeted Elbagir’s family with online false accusations, including claims that her sister, also a journalist, was an “agent of influence” and her father an MI-6 agent of the British intelligence service.

Lawyer Ini Benjamine Esther Doli sentenced for criticising the military government

On 10th November 2025, during a closed hearing, the Ouagadougou Court of First Instance found lawyer Ini Benjamine Esther Doli guilty of the charges of “insulting the head of state” and “undermining the morale of the armed forces” under the Penal Code. Doli was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 1,000,000 CFA Francs (approximately $1,708 USD). However, Doli was acquitted of the additional charge of treason and appealed the conviction.

As previously reported by the CIVICUS Monitor, on 31st August 2025, armed men claiming to be from the national gendarmerie arrested Doli in Ouagadougou following her public criticism in Facebook posts of alleged human rights violations under the military government.

Five journalists arrested and later released

On 13th and 14th October 2025, individuals dressed in civilian attire who identified themselves as members of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) arrested several journalists in Ouagadougou. These arrests were connected to the leaking of an interview with Captain Ibrahim Traoré, conducted on 28th September 2025 whose content had circulated on a page critical of the military government before its official release. The interview focused on geopolitical and socioeconomic security in Burkina Faso. No official reason was provided for the arrest.

On 13th October, ANR agents arrested Ousséni Ilboudo, director of editions at L’Observateur Paalga, as he was about to lead the daily editorial meeting and taken to an undisclosed location. On the same day, men in civilian clothes, also reportedly from the ANR, arrested Michel Nana, the deputy editor-in-chief of the private daily Le Pays, Additionally, Lamine Traoré, founder of the online media outlet Burkina Yawana, and Jean-Marie Toé, editor-in-chief of the state-owned daily Sidwaya, were arrested under similar circumstances. The following day, 14th October, four individuals in civilian attire, identifying themselves as ANR agents, arrested Zowenmanago Dieudonné Zoungrana, director of publication for Aujourd’hui au Faso and one of the journalists who interviewed Captain Traoré, on 28th September, at his home. According to a HRW report, Zoungrana’s arrest was likely connected to a leaked interview.

According to reports, Nana was released on 14th October 2025, while Ilboudo, Zoungrana and Toé were released on 15th October 2025. Meanwhile, Traoré and Abdou Zouré from Faso7 media outlet who had also been arrested on the same day as Traoré were released on 20th October 2025.

PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY

Protest in Ouagadougou against EU Parliament Resolution

On 28th March 2026 the Coordination nationale de la veille citoyenne (CNAVC), an association that supports Burkina Faso’s military government, organised a large-scale protest march in Ouagadougou, with simultaneous demonstrations in Niamey, Niger. These events attracted thousands of citizens from across the country to protest the European Union (EU) Parliament’s resolution demanding the release of former Niger President Mohamed Bazoum. Bazoum had been detained for over two-and-a-half years following Niger’s July 2023 military coup that ousted him from power. The demonstrators marched to the EU delegation headquarters in Burkina Faso, where they delivered a protest memorandum to an EU representative. This memo condemned the EU Parliament’s resolution, which they said they perceive as interference in the internal affairs of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a confederation comprising the states of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The march was marked by nationalist fervour, with participants carrying flags of the AES member states. No incidents were reported during the protest.