The junta in Burkina Faso on Tuesday suspended 247 associations for "non-renewal of their governing bodies", bringing to 929 the number of associations suspended or dissolved in less than a month, according to a ministerial decree.

Burkina Faso is led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power after a military coup in September 2022. He advocates a sovereignist policy.

In total, the junta has suspended 811 associations for "non-renewal of their governing bodies" and dissolved 118 others since mid-April, citing "legal provisions in force", without further details.

The associations suspended "from May 12, 2026" are located in Burkina Faso and operate in particular in the fields of health, education, women's and gender promotion or religion.

"During the period of suspension, only actions aimed at regularizing the situation of each association are authorized," specifies the ministerial decree.

In July 2025, Captain Ibrahim Traoré promulgated a law that regulates freedom of association, NGOs and trade unions.

This law reaffirms the freedom of association while subordinating it to strict obligations of declaration, administrative control and legal compliance, with sanctions that can go as far as dissolution.

According to the authorities, the law aims to strengthen transparency, map associations and NGOs, and combat money laundering and the financing of "terrorism".

The country has been facing deadly offensives by jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for more than a decade across large parts of its territory.

International NGOs or associations operating with international funding are often accused of espionage or collusion with jihadists.

In late April, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch lamented that the law allowed the junta to "intensify its widespread repression of civil society".