The suspension comes amid a broader crackdown under the regime led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a coup in September 2022. In recent weeks, nearly a thousand associations have been dissolved or suspended under a new law regulating freedom of association.

Ugeb president detained

According to the student organization, a dozen members—including its president, Wilfried Bazo—were arrested overnight between Monday and Tuesday at their headquarters in Ouagadougou by armed plainclothes operatives. The Ugeb alleges several students were taken to undisclosed locations and condemns this as “gross violations of fundamental freedoms,” demanding their “immediate release.”

Criticism of the regime intensifies

Days before the suspension, the Ugeb had issued a statement condemning “violations of democratic, union, and political freedoms” in the name of counterterrorism. The student movement also accused the military government of “failing to restore security” amid escalating jihadist violence gripping much of the country.

Human rights advocates sound the alarm

On Wednesday, the prosecutor’s office announced a judicial investigation into materials attributed to the Ugeb. Human rights groups warn this move is part of a “systematic repression of association and expression rights.” They argue that “silencing students will not resolve Burkina Faso’s security or governance crises.”