Over the past week, Burkina Faso has witnessed a sharp escalation in state pressure on civic freedoms. The arrest of Imam Mohamed Ishaq Kindo and the suspension of the Union générale des étudiants du Burkina Faso (UGEB) have sent shockwaves through civil society. These developments mark a new phase in the junta’s tightening grip on dissent.

Who is Imam Kindo and why was he arrested?

On the eve of Eid al-Adha, eyewitnesses reported masked security forces detaining Imam Kindo at his residence. The imam, a respected figure in Burkina Faso’s Muslim community, had openly criticized a proposed law regulating religious practices, including public prayers. His arrest sparked immediate protests, clashes, and multiple arrests.

The Federation of Islamic Associations of Burkina Faso (FAIB) repeatedly called for calm, but the situation remained tense. A fabricated statement claiming the imam’s death circulated online before the prosecutor general publicly dismissed it as false. Some videos circulating on social media, allegedly showing abuses, have been flagged by fact-checkers as likely AI-generated.

A voice of civic vigilance, not political opposition

While comparisons have been drawn to Imam Mahmoud Dicko in neighboring Mali, observers emphasize that Kindo’s role was fundamentally different. As Newton Ahmed Barry, a Burkinabe journalist in exile, explains: “Imam Kindo was not a political leader like Dicko. He operated within the framework of Islamic scholarship, monitoring religious orthodoxy and speaking out on issues affecting public morality.”

UGEB suspended: what are the accusations?

The junta also took aim at the student union, suspending the UGEB for three months, renewable, and arresting several members. The union is accused of “apology for terrorism” and “demoralizing security forces” after criticizing the government’s failure to restore security and warning of a descent into civil war.

Mahamadou Idder Alghabid, deputy secretary-general of the Alliance of Sahel Democrats (ADS), sees a disturbing regional pattern: “Accusing unarmed students of terrorism is absurd, but it fits a familiar narrative across the Sahel. Anytime dissent arises, critics are silenced under the pretext of national security.”

Regional trends: Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso

Human rights advocates warn that the crackdown in Burkina Faso mirrors similar actions in Mali and Niger. Organizations are being dissolved, activists face judicial harassment, and freedom of expression is increasingly restricted. The line between political criticism, union activity, and criminal offense is rapidly disappearing.

“The three military regimes have adopted a shared strategy,” says Alghabid. “They use terror tactics to instill fear and consolidate power. But the people are waking up. They see through the empty promises of sovereignty and anti-imperialism.”

A society under pressure, but not defeated

Despite arrests, abductions, and violence, resistance persists—often from abroad. “We know the fight ahead is tough, but every day we gain ground,” Alghabid says. “The junta’s propaganda worked at first, but Saharan Africans are realizing their promises were false. They are abandoning the coup leaders one by one.”

Newton Ahmed Barry adds: “Excesses are the weakness of brute force. The regime’s repression will backfire. Society is not broken—it is mobilizing.”

International responsibility

Human rights organizations are calling for sustained international support for civil society. “Silence and ambiguity only enable authoritarian drift,” warns Ilaria Allegrozzi of Human Rights Watch. “Partners must stop hiding behind the idea that criticizing the junta is counterproductive. It is the opposite: inaction legitimizes abuses.”

“We must have the courage to name what is happening,” she continues. “Military coups cannot become the norm. Violations of human rights cannot be accepted as collateral damage.”