Burkina Faso Prohibits and Suspends Foreign NGOs and Associations
Recent decrees issued in mid-June referenced a government official who indicated that the actions taken against four NGOs were due to violations of formal regulations.
The military junta of Burkina Faso, which took control following a coup in September 2022, has prioritized the restoration of national sovereignty.
Government authorities frequently suppress dissent, particularly within civil society and media sectors, justifying these measures as necessary for combating jihadist violence that has afflicted the West African nation for the past decade.
There has been an increase in kidnappings and unlawful detentions, especially targeting civilians perceived as antagonistic toward the junta.
Diplomats accused of engaging in “subversive” activities have been expelled from the country, and several foreign media outlets have been compelled to cease operations.
Among the foreign associations mentioned in last month’s decrees, two were suspended for three months; one was specifically charged with breaching data privacy regulations.
Burkina Faso is entrenched in a cycle of violence attributed to jihadist groups, a situation that has escalated from neighboring Mali and Niger and extended beyond their borders.
