What changed

B100303/2026

B100318/2026

European Parliament resolution on Continuedthe continued crackdown on civic space and fundamental freedoms in Burkina Faso

(2026/2767(RSP))

having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas the NATO invasion of Libya, against the will of the African Union, has created lasting instability in the Sahel states with the Tuareg but even Daesh exacerbating their presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger;

whereas in May 2026, the Burkinabe government suspended the General Union for Burkina Students (UGEB) following a statement criticising the junta, and the media regulator suspended French broadcaster TV5Monde, following coverage of violations by government security forces;

whereas years of French and European military operations in the region failed to create peace and security;

whereas in April 2026, the government dissolved and banned the activities of 118 civil society organisations, and suspended 359 associations;

whereas in January 2022, part of the Burkinabe army led a coup promising security and sovereignty; whereas this came in a context of widespread popular frustration with decades of external interference, economic dependency and unequal power relations;

whereas in January 2026, the government dissolved all political parties;

whereas the new authorities promised national sovereignty over natural resources, an end to economic dependency, and a development model centred on economic sovereignty and national control over strategic sectors;

whereas in December 2025, the government adopted a draft bill reinstating death penalty for certain offences;

whereas since then, the duration of military-led “transitional regime” was extended from two years to five years; whereas in January 2026, political parties were dissolved after a three-year suspension; whereas between April and May 2026, nearly 700 NGOs and associations were suspended or dissolved; and attacks on the media led to the suspension of TV channels, radio stations, newspapers and the arrest of journalists;

whereas in November 2025, a presidential decree required all civil society organisations to close their accounts with commercial banks and transfer them to a state-controlled bank;

Stresses that lasting peace, security and social progress in the Sahel require addressing structural inequalities, the strengthening of popular power, and fully respecting the self-determination of peoples;

whereas in September 2025, the new Persons and Family Code criminalised the so-called “promotion” of same-sex relations;

Expresses its solidarity with the Burkinabè people and all those defending social justice, sovereignty and dignity;

whereas since seizing power in 2022, the government has intimidated, unlawfully conscripted, forcibly disappeared, and arbitrarily detained journalists, political opponents, civil society members, and judges, suspended independent media outlets, and dismantled civil society groups;

Expresses concern over the shrinking civic space in Burkina Faso, including restrictions on trade unions, student movements, independent organisations, domestic media and critical voices;

Condemns all forms of intimidation and violence against political opponents, journalists and media outlets, civil society organisations and human rights defenders in Burkina Faso;

Recognizes the legitimate right of the people of Burkina Faso to freely determine their own political, economic and social future, free also from external interference and exploitation;

Deplores the dissolution of civil society organisations and the suspension of associations; urges Burkinabe authorities to uphold freedom of association, assembly and expression, restore their legal status, allow them to resume their activities without undue restrictions, ensure a secure space for civil society and humanitarian actors; calls for lifting the suspension of the activities of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the UGEB; calls for ending enforced disappearances and unlawful detentions and conscriptions; calls for the EU to increase protection and support for civil society organisations in Burkina Faso;

Condemns therefore European policies in the Sahel which have prioritised militarisation, border externalisation and the interests of European corporations over the rights and needs of local populations, thereby undermining sovereign development, fundamental rights and freedoms, and social progress;

Calls for Burkinabe authorities to reverse the ban on TV5Monde and the suspension of media, uphold freedom of press, and allow journalists and media organisations to work freely and safely;

Calls on the European Union and its Member States to abandon all neocolonial aspirations and policies designed to maintain influence in, or control over, the region and support sovereign social development, economic justice, and the self-determination of people;

Calls for Burkinabe authorities to respect the rights of political parties to organise; demands an urgent return to inclusive and transparent elections and civilian government; calls for the EU to support a safe transition;

Supports the diplomatic initiatives undertaken by Benin and Senegal to engage with Burkina Faso, with a view to de-escalating tensions between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States and to fostering joint action on the common problems faced by the countries of the region;

Deplores provisions that criminalise the promotion of equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation; calls for ensuring that human rights defenders can work freely and safely;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States, and the Burkinabè authorities.

Calls for Burkina Faso to refrain from reintroducing death penalty in the Penal Code; reiterates its categorical opposition to the death penalty under any circumstances and calls for its universal abolition;

Expresses strong concerns over Burkina Faso’s security and governance crisis; calls for the EU to increase cooperation and support; stresses that the Burkinabe authorities must create the conditions to allow for it;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the Member States, the authorities of the Republic of Burkina Faso, the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union, and the UN.