Africa-Press. The ruling military council in Burkina Faso has suspended the activities of 245 associations due to “failure to renew their leadership structures”; this raises the total number of organizations that have been suspended or dissolved since mid-April to over 1,100.
Burkina Faso is under military rule led by Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power following a military coup in September 2022. He adopts a sovereign policy and asserts that his country does not follow the traditional democratic model.
The 245 associations whose activities were suspended as of June 11 include organizations active in social and economic development, culture, religion, health, education, women’s empowerment, and gender issues.
In a decision signed by the Minister of Regional Administration, Émile Zongo, it was stated that: “The only actions permitted during the suspension period are those aimed at regularizing the legal status of each association.”
Since mid-April, with the start of a broad campaign based on a law enacted in 2025 that strictly regulates the freedom to form associations, authorities have suspended 1,056 associations for “failure to renew their leadership structures” and dissolved 118 others based on “applicable legal provisions,” without providing further details.
The law from July 2025 affirms the freedom to form associations but simultaneously ties it to strict obligations regarding administrative notification, government oversight, and legal compliance, with penalties that could lead to the permanent dissolution of the association.
Burkinabé authorities often accuse international NGOs and associations receiving foreign funding of espionage or collusion with armed groups.
On Tuesday, authorities decided to suspend the activities of two Islamic associations for three months, citing “disruption of public order” and “engaging in unlawful activities,” following the recent closure of the Grand Mosque in the capital and the arrest of an imam who had criticized a law concerning freedom of belief and religious affairs.
The preacher Mohamed Ishaq Kando recently criticized a draft law aimed at tightening oversight of religious freedoms in Burkina Faso, at a time when the country is experiencing increasing political and security restrictions since the military council took power.
Human Rights Watch expressed regret in late April that the new law gives the military council the ability to “intensify its broad campaign against civil society.”
On Monday, the Ministry of Culture in Burkina Faso decided to suspend all beauty pageants in the country indefinitely, pending a review of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing these events.
The ministry clarified in a statement that the decision comes as part of protecting national cultural values and promoting respect for the cultural and moral identity of society, in line with the current authorities’ directives.
The military regime in Burkina Faso had previously decided in late May to suspend the activities of the General Union of Students of Burkina (Ugeb), the country’s leading student organization, for three months, subject to renewal.
The Ministry of Regional Administration justified this decision at the time by citing actions related to “glorifying terrorism.”
In response, the union held the National Movement for Salvation and Reform, referring to the military council, responsible for what it described as “serious violations of academic freedoms and privileges,” stating that it places national and international public opinion as witnesses to this.
Burkina Faso has faced deadly attacks by extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS for over a decade, controlling large parts of the country’s territory.
Journalists, opposition figures, civil society activists, and judges have also faced threats, arbitrary arrests, forced recruitment, enforced disappearances, and torture, according to human rights reports.
