Burkina Faso Dissolves 118 Civil Society Organizations

Burkina Faso's military government has dissolved 118 civil society organizations, according to a statement from the minister of territorial administration and mobility on April 15, 2026. The authorities referenced a July 2025 law on freedom of association but provided no detailed justifications beyond general references to noncompliance.

Some of the affected groups were involved in human rights work. The July 2025 law requires organizations to meet certain standards within one year, a period that has not yet ended. Organizations such as Action by Christians Against Torture and the Burkinabè Coalition for Women's Rights were among those dissolved, despite appearing to operate in compliance with existing requirements.

A representative from a human rights organization stated that the decision appears legally questionable given the ongoing compliance timeframe.

This action follows a series of measures against civil society since the military seized power in September 2022. The government has suspended, banned, or expelled dozens of domestic and international organizations and media outlets on administrative grounds.

Authorities have also detained humanitarian workers and arrested activists, journalists, and political opponents. In 2025, the government introduced additional requirements, including a statistical visa for surveys and research, which organizations report as costly and time-consuming.

A September 2025 family code provision allows authorities to revoke citizenship for actions deemed against state interests. Foreign organizations must appoint local nationals to key positions under the July 2025 law.

and International Groups Between June

and July 2025, authorities suspended or revoked licenses for about 20 foreign organizations, including Comunitá di Sant'Egidio, Diakonia, Geneva Call, and the Tony Blair Institute, for failing to formalize agreements. In August 2025, the government expelled the top United Nations representative in Burkina Faso after a UN report on violations against children.

In mid-2025, security forces arrested eight staff members of the International Group Safety Organization, charging them with spying and treason. They were released in December 2025. The government has used an April 2023 general mobilization decree to conscript critics into military service.

These developments occur amid an ongoing security crisis involving Islamist armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which Burkina Faso has faced for a decade. The restrictions have affected humanitarian and development work in the country.