Burkina Faso

The CIVICUS Monitor downgrades Burkina Faso’s civic space to "Repressed" amid a crackdown on nationwide protests

DECEMBER 4, 2024

The CIVICUS Monitor announced in a new report Wednesday that it has downgraded Burkina Faso's civic space to "Repressed" in its annual ratings amid an ongoing crackdown on civic freedoms following nationwide protests that erupted this summer.

Burkina Faso’s downgraded rating, detailed in the People Power Under Attack 2024 report, follows the government's continuing brutal crackdown on nationwide protests sparked by legislation which sought to raise taxes and sharply increase the cost of living amid unchecked government corruption. The government’s violent response led to the deaths of at least 60 unarmed protesters and at least 1,200 arrests of protesters. While over 130 people are still missing since their participation in the protests, abductions of protesters and online supporters of the protests have continued months after the protests, as security forces go after those they suspect of involvement, and those who criticise government, creating a chilling effect on civic freedoms in the country.

"Kenya stood at a crossroads as a country, and as a regional leader,” said Sylvia Mbataru, lead researcher on Africa at the CIVICUS Monitor. “The road it could have taken was to lead by example and protect civil space. Instead it pursued a path of repression stifling expression and instilling fear in key segments of its population.”

The CIVICUS Monitor, which is a research consortium led by global civil society alliance CIVICUS, tracked civic space conditions in 198 countries throughout the year. The Monitor determines each country’s rating based on data on civic space incidents collected by dozens of research teams around the world. Incidents may include protests, censorship, arrests of human rights activists and more. Each country then receives a rating between 0-100 based on its incidents, with higher scores indicating more open civic space.

This year, Kenya's score dropped 13 points from 50 to 37, moving it from the middle tier “obstructed” to the second worst tier “repressed.” A “repressed” rating means civic space is significantly constrained. There are 51 total “Repressed” countries around the world.

In June 2024, the #RejectFinanceBill2024 movement mobilised thousands in protest against the Finance Bill's contentious tax provisions, sparking a severe response from Kenyan authorities. Law enforcement deployed excessive and often lethal force, including the use of snipers against peaceful, unarmed demonstrators. Plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles escalated violence by firing live ammunition and tear gas directly at crowds, indiscriminately targeting civilians, journalists, and even medical personnel providing aid.

The crackdown extended beyond physical force to systematic repression. Protesters, including social media influencers vocal in their support, were subjected to arrests and abductions by national security and intelligence operatives under accusations of leading and funding the demonstrations. Months after the protests, enforced disappearances and abductions have persisted, highlighting a sustained effort to stifle dissent.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported that, as of 31 October 2024, at least 60 individuals had been killed and 71 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances documented. Government figures from September 2024 indicated the arrest of 1,208 protesters, with 132 individuals officially classified as missing. However, civil society organizations contend that these numbers significantly underrepresented the scale of the violations. Evidence of extrajudicial killings has surfaced, with bodies of some missing individuals discovered in abandoned quarries, forests, rivers, and mortuaries, many bearing signs of torture, mutilation, and dismemberment.

“This pattern of state-sanctioned violence underscores an alarming erosion of civic freedoms and human rights in Kenya” said Martin Mavenjina, Senior advisor at the Kenya Human Rights Commission. “This is a critical juncture for accountability and reform.”

"This alarming crackdown on peaceful protests and the targeted suppression of dissenting voices reflects a blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law in Kenya”, said Estella Kabachwezi, Advocacy and Communications Manager at Defend Defenders. “The use of excessive force, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings cannot be ignored. The international community must hold the Kenyan government accountable and demand immediate action to protect civic freedoms and ensure justice for the victims."

Notes to the Editor:

The CIVICUS Monitor is a research tool that provides quantitative and qualitative data on the state of civil society and civic freedoms in 198 countries and territories. The data is generated through a collaboration with more than 20 civil society research partners, and input from a number of independent human rights evaluations. The data provides the basis for civic space ratings and countries can be rated as either 'Closed', 'Repressed', 'Obstructed', 'Narrowed' or 'Open'.

For interviews, please contact: media@civicus.org