By Hassan Solokoh Bockarie
The West Africa Pro-Bono Project has strongly condemned the military government’s recent decision to dissolve 118 non-governmental organizations and associations in Burkina Faso, describing the move as a grave assault on democracy, civic space, and fundamental human rights.
In a press statement issued on April 24, 2026, WAPP expressed deep concern over the decree by Burkina Faso’s military authorities, led by Ibrahim Traoré, which reportedly ordered the dissolution of the organizations and banned their activities without providing any justification.
The organization noted that the latest crackdown comes just months after the military government dismantled all registered political parties in January 2026 and repealed the legal framework governing their operations.
WAPP warned that the dissolution of political parties poses a serious threat to political pluralism and democratic governance in Burkina Faso. According to the organization, political parties serve as the primary channels through which citizens exercise their collective political will.
“Without political parties, there can be no meaningful elections, no organized opposition, and no possibility of a peaceful transfer of power,” the statement emphasized, describing the move as a calculated attempt to undermine the country’s democratic foundations.
The legal advocacy group further argued that the dissolution of the 118 NGOs is part of a broader campaign to silence civil society and restrict humanitarian operations. It said the military government’s actions reflect an escalating pattern of repression since seizing power in September 2022.
WAPP cited previous measures, including the banning, suspension, and expulsion of numerous organizations and media outlets, often on vague grounds. It also raised alarm over reports of arrests, forced disappearances, and the unlawful conscription of humanitarian workers, journalists, and human rights defenders into military service amid the ongoing insurgency in the Sahel region.
The organization maintained that these actions violate internationally recognized rights to freedom of association, assembly, and expression, as guaranteed under the African Union’s African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
WAPP has called on the Burkinabè military authorities to immediately reverse the dissolution of political parties, restore the legal framework governing them, and reinstate all NGOs and associations dissolved since 2022.
It also demanded the release of all detained activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers, an end to forced conscription, and a firm commitment to a credible democratic transition, including the reconstitution of the country’s electoral commission.
Additionally, WAPP urged the African Union, the United Nations Human Rights Council, Economic Community of West African States, and international partners to intensify pressure on Ouagadougou.
“The military government’s pattern of repression leads only to greater instability, suffering, and isolation,” the organization warned.
WAPP concluded by reaffirming its solidarity with the people of Burkina Faso, insisting that they deserve democracy, dignity, and the full protection of their fundamental rights.
