Burkina Faso’s military government has dissolved about 118 civil society organisations in a sweeping crackdown that further restricts civic space in the country.
The move was announced on Wednesday by authorities under the transitional government led by Ibrahim Traoré, marking one of the largest mass deregistrations of associations since the 2022 military takeover.
According to officials, the affected organisations include groups involved in human rights advocacy, community development, and civic engagement.
The government said the decision was taken to enforce a 2025 law regulating civil society organisations, which introduced stricter administrative and operational requirements for NGOs and associations operating in the country.
Territorial Administration Minister Émile Zerbo stated that the dissolutions were part of efforts to ensure compliance with existing regulations, warning that any violations would attract legal consequences under current laws.
“You are required to comply with the regulations in force. Any offender faces the penalties provided for under current regulations,” Zerbo said in the statement.
The latest action comes amid a broader pattern of tightening restrictions on civil society, including previous suspensions and revocations of licences affecting several rights-based organisations.
Since taking power in a 2022 coup, the military authorities have increasingly imposed limits on non-governmental organisations, trade unions, and opposition groups, citing national security and administrative reforms.
Observers say the repeated clampdown reflects a shrinking civic environment in Burkina Faso, raising concerns over the future of human rights advocacy and democratic participation under military rule.
The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary to regulate civil society activities and ensure accountability within the sector.
