The continued detention of journalist Atiana Serge Oulon and a broader crackdown on civil society organizations have intensified international concern over press freedom and civic space in Burkina Faso.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Oulon, publication director of the newspaper L’Événement, remains in detention despite official claims that he had been conscripted into military service.
In October 2024, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Justice informed the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights that Oulon had been drafted into the armed forces. However, human rights groups dispute that explanation, alleging he is being held in secret detention facilities in Ouagadougou.
Observers have described the conscription claim as a possible cover for arbitrary detention, raising concerns over due process and freedom of expression.
In February 2026, Volker Türk urged authorities to reverse restrictions on civil liberties.
The UN warned that dissolving political parties and civil society groups undermines democratic pluralism.
In April 2026, authorities dissolved 118 civil society organizations. Groups such as Human Rights Watch said many were engaged in human rights and governance work.
The government defended its actions as necessary amid security threats.
Rights organizations warn that restricting media and civil society could weaken accountability.
