Burkina Faso Dissolves 118 Groups in Biggest NGO Purge Yet

Burkina Faso’s military government has intensified its consolidation of power by dissolving 118 NGOs and civil society groups, extending a pattern of restrictions since the 2022 coup led by Ibrahim Traore.

The move follows earlier steps including the January dissolution of all political parties and new limits on civic activity, indicating a systematic narrowing of public space.

The Ministry of Territorial Administration announced the dissolution on April 17, citing “current legal provisions,” while warning that “any offender faces the penalties provided for under current regulations.”

The measure targets 118 associations, many engaged in human rights work, and builds on a July 2025 law that had already restricted NGO and union activities. Within a month of that law, 21 groups lost authorization and 10 faced 3-month suspensions.

Amnesty International said it was “deeply concerned by this flagrant attack on the right to freedom of association,” adding the move is “incompatible with Burkina Faso’s international human rights obligations.”

Ousmane Diallo described it as part of “a much broader effort to silence civil society” through “intimidation, harassment, arbitrary detention, and prosecution.”

Authorities have linked restrictions to security concerns, as Burkina Faso faces a prolonged insurgency involving Daesh affiliated terror groups operating in the region.

NGOs with foreign funding are often accused of collusion or espionage. Since 2022, the state has expanded oversight, including a November directive forcing NGOs to move funds into a state-controlled bank, tightening financial control over civil actors.

The dissolution aligns with broader political shifts. At the end of January, the government dissolved all political parties, citing “social division and state failure.”

On April 3, Traore told citizens to “forget democracy,” rejecting Western political models. Critics argue such moves by the government remove institutional checks on its power.