Military juntas in west africa and Sahel suppress freedoms

Military Juntas in West Africa and Sahel Escalate Repression of Freedoms

In 2025, leaders across West Africa and the Sahel have significantly tightened their grip on power while intensifying crackdowns on civil liberties, according to comprehensive findings from Human Rights Watch.

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Systematic Suppression of Dissent and Media Under Military Rule

In West Africa and the Sahel, military juntas have dramatically expanded their suppression of free speech, political opposition, and independent media. Journalists, activists, and critics in countries like Burkina Faso and Mali face arbitrary detention, forced disappearances, or illegal conscription, while political figures are targeted for speaking out. Nigeria has also seen a surge in arrests and prosecutions of journalists and social media users under sweeping cybercrime laws.

“The military juntas in the Sahel are doubling down on repression, systematically dismantling democratic institutions and silencing dissent under the guise of national security,” stated Mausi Segun, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch’s Africa Division. “Regional and international bodies must take urgent action to hold these authorities accountable and restore civic space.”

Erosion of Democratic Transitions and Rule of Law

Several nations have rolled back democratic progress:

• Niger and Mali extended their transitional periods by five years and banned multiparty systems, delaying any return to civilian rule.
• Chad abolished presidential term limits, effectively removing constitutional safeguards against prolonged rule.
• Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have initiated withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and announced plans to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC), further isolating victims of human rights abuses from justice.

These moves undermine regional stability and signal a dangerous retreat from accountability.

Violence by Armed Groups and State Forces

Civilian communities continue to bear the brunt of escalating violence:

• Islamist militant groups such as the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISS) have carried out deadly attacks on civilians in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
• State security forces, including the Burkina Faso Armed Forces, pro-government militias in Mali, and the Russian-backed Africa Corps (formerly Wagner Group), have been implicated in extrajudicial killings, particularly targeting the Fulani ethnic group.
• In Nigeria, the resurgence of Boko Haram and rampant banditry in the northwest have led to mass killings, abductions, and violent raids, with authorities struggling to protect communities or prosecute perpetrators.

Call for Regional and International Action

Human Rights Watch urges the African Union and other regional organizations to increase pressure on juntas to halt abuses, restore democratic processes, and ensure justice for victims. The international community must also step up support for civil society and independent media to counter the growing authoritarian tide sweeping across the region.