Rights Groups Criticize Dissolution of NGOs in Burkina Faso

Rights Groups Criticize Dissolution of NGOs in Burkina Faso
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International rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned Burkina Faso’s military authorities for dissolving 118 civil society groups, calling the move a crackdown on freedoms.

The decision, announced on April 15 under a 2025 associations law, was reportedly based on general claims of non-compliance without detailed justification. Critics argue the action may be legally questionable, as organizations were supposed to be given a one-year compliance period.

Rights groups say the measure is part of a broader pattern since the 2022 military takeover, targeting NGOs, media, and activists through bans, arrests, and restrictions.

They also cited reports of arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and forced recruitment of critics, alongside tighter controls on both local and foreign organizations.

The developments come amid ongoing conflict in Burkina Faso, where authorities are battling armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Rights groups have urged authorities to reverse the measures and respect freedoms of expression and association.