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Sahel juntas are 'crushing' basic freedoms In the Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, military rulers are increasingly clamping down on press freedom and freedom of expression. Many journalists, bloggers and activists have been forced into exile.

Burkina Faso's military regime stifles opposition voices, curtails ... DATE POSTED : 30.09.2025 According to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, since the military coup in September 2022 led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the security situation in Burkina Faso has significantly worsened. Fatalities from militant Islamist group violence have nearly tripled, reaching 17,775 in the past three years, compared to 6,630 in the three years prior to the coup. Violence against civilians by these groups has also surged, with at least 2,823 civilian deaths recorded since the junta took power, an 87% increase. Burkina Faso’s control over its territory has diminished, with government forces now operating freely in as little as 30% of the country, down from about 50% in 2022. Militant groups have expanded their presence, encircling roughly 130 towns and cities with siege tactics and intensifying violence across an estimated 165,000 square kilometres. Concurrently, Burkinabe security forces and allied militias have been linked to a 132% increase in violence against civilians, allegedly causing 2,121 fatalities since the coup. This deterioration occurs despite a sophisticated information campai…

Mali's Junta Tightens Grip, Suspends Political Activity Mali's junta has issued a decree suspendingpolitical party activitiesand associations of a political nature indefinitely, citing the need to maintain public order. Malian authorities also orderedmedia outletsto stop covering political parties and activities. This directive included radio, television, print, and online platforms. The announcement didn't specify any penalties for non-compliance. The country has been under military rule since 2020, following coups in 2020 and 2021, and had promised to restore civilian rule by March 26, 2024, after holding elections this February. However, the junta announced last September that it would postpone the elections for technical reasons, causing discontent among political groups and civil society. Some parties and groups are now calling for a clear timeline for elections, expressing a desire for the return of normal constitutional order in the country. Mali:Junta Suspends Political Parties, Associations HRW, 12 April 2024 Action Undermines Fundamental FreedomsRead more » Mali:Mali Political Parties to Challenge Junta's Order Suspending Political Activities RFI, 12 April 2024 …

Repression in West Africa: Juntas Crush Freedoms - Faso News Click to expand Image In 2025, leaders across several West African nations escalated their clampdown on civil liberties while consolidating their hold on power, as detailed in the Human Rights Watch World Report 2026. Throughout Nigeria and the Sahel region, both armed Islamist groups and government forces, along with their allies, have repeatedly attacked civilians and non-military infrastructure. At the same time, the Sahel’s military juntas have expelled regional and international bodies, effectively weakening institutions responsible for ensuring accountability for abuses. “ The military junta leaders in the Sahel have intensified their suppression of free speech and other fundamental rights, showing little concern for their promised transitions to democracy, ” stated Mausi Segun , Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “ Greater regional efforts are essential to pressure West African authorities into creating political and democratic space and to protect the human rights of their citizens. ” World Report 2026 Summary report in French In its 36th edition, the 529-page World Report from Human Rights Watch analyzes hum…

Military juntas in west africa Sahel crack down on freedoms In 2025, leaders across West Africa and the Sahel escalated their crackdowns on civil liberties while consolidating political control, according to a comprehensive analysis by leading human rights organizations. The Sahel region, already grappling with escalating armed conflicts, witnessed intensified violence as Islamist militant groups and government forces—often backed by international allies—targeted civilians and critical infrastructure. At the same time, military juntas in key Sahel nations have systematically undermined regional and international oversight bodies, further weakening accountability mechanisms for human rights abuses. « Military leaders in the Sahel have doubled down on suppressing free speech and other fundamental rights, betraying promises of democratic transitions, » noted Mausi Segun , Africa director at a prominent human rights watchdog. « Regional and global stakeholders must unite to demand political space for citizens and uphold human rights protections in West Africa . » Click to expand Image Key human rights violations in 2025 The latest findings highlight a disturbing pattern of repression …

Burkina Faso: three years of broken promises - CIVICUS LENS Burkina Faso: three years of broken promises Military junta tightens repression and indefinitely postpones return to civilian rule DEMOCRACY 25.Nov.2025 By CIVICUS staff WEST AFRICA CIVICUS Monitor rating | BURKINA FASO: repressed IN FOCUS 7 ' EN FR Three years after Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in Burkina Faso’s second coup of 2022, his military junta has broken repeated promises to restore civilian rule. It has postponed elections until 2029, dissolved the independent electoral commission and withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States and the International Criminal Court. Security has collapsed under rising jihadist violence, while military forces commit mass atrocities against civilians. The junta, buttressed by a social media campaign that promotes Traoré as a visionary leader, is crushing civic space through enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and forced military conscription of activists and journalists. Three years after military officers promised to guide Burkina Faso back to democracy, the country is heading further in the opposite direction. Protests over the democratically elec…

Sahel juntas are 'crushing' basic freedoms - Harare.Today Since the 2020‑2023 coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, military leaders have imposed sweeping criminal defamation and antiterrorism laws that enable the arbitrary detention of journalists, bloggers and activists. They have also ordered the shutdown of independent radio stations and online platforms. “It has become more repressive. It’s no longer as easy to speak out,” said Ulf Laessing, former director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s Sahel program in Mali. People have become more cautious. “That is clearly a point of criticism against the government,” he told DW. In Mali, General Assimi Goita seized power through two military coups in 2020 and 2021 and gradually placed the country under military rule. In 2025, the National Transitional Council passed a draft law securing Goita’s rule for another five years. All three Sahel junta states have withdrawn from the ECOWAS regional allianceImage: Boureima Hama/AFP According to Laessing, the unstable security situation had initially improved somewhat in some parts of Mali, and farmers were even able to return to their fields. That is no longer the case today. Mali stil…

How Sahel juntas are 'crushing' basic freedoms, silencing dissent How Sahel juntas are 'crushing' basic freedoms, silencing dissent How Sahel juntas are 'crushing' basic freedoms, silencing dissent From left: Assimi Goita of Mali, Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger, and Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso. (Photo: Francis Kokoroko/REUTERS; ORTN - Télé Sahel/AFP/Getty; Mikhail Metzel/TASS/picture alliance via DW) By DW News Saturday, June 13, 2026 Listen Read this story aloud Listen to the clean text version of this article. Play Pause Resume Stop Ready 7 min listen Audio reading is not supported on this browser. Listen In the Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, military rulers are increasingly clamping down on press freedom and freedom of expression. Many journalists, bloggers and activists have been forced into exile. Since the 2020‑2023 coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, military leaders have imposed sweeping criminal defamation and antiterrorism laws that enable the arbitrary detention of journalists, bloggers and activists. They have also ordered the shutdown of independent radio stations and online platforms. "It has become more repressive. It's no longer as easy to sp…