This move follows a broader tightening of restrictions under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed power after a coup in September 2022. In recent weeks, nearly a thousand associations have been dissolved or suspended under a controversial new law regulating freedom of association across the country.

student leader detained

According to the Ugeb, a dozen members, including its president, Wilfried Bazo, were arrested in the early hours of Monday to Tuesday at their headquarters in Ouagadougou. Witnesses describe armed individuals in civilian clothing forcibly taking several students to an undisclosed location. The organization has condemned these actions as “severe violations of fundamental freedoms” and is demanding the immediate release of those detained.

voices of dissent silenced

Just days before the suspension, the Ugeb released a statement criticizing what it called “systematic violations of democratic, union, and political freedoms” under the pretext of combating terrorism. The student movement also accused the military government of “failing to restore security” amid escalating jihadist violence gripping large parts of the country.

international concerns over repression

On Wednesday, the public prosecutor announced the launch of a judicial investigation targeting the “writings and statements” attributed to the Ugeb. Human rights observers have warned that this suspension is part of a wider pattern of government repression targeting freedom of association and expression. Advocacy groups argue that silencing students will not address the underlying security and governance crises plaguing Burkina Faso.