Burkina Faso's Military Government Arrests NGO Workers Amid Espionage Allegations

Tue Oct 21 2025 23:31:52 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Eight members of a Dutch humanitarian organization, including four Burkinabé, have been detained on accusations of espionage, raising concerns about humanitarian efforts in the country.

The military government of Burkina Faso has detained eight individuals linked to a Dutch NGO, accusing them of treason and espionage. Allegations include the unauthorized collection of sensitive data perceived as a threat to national security. The detained personnel, including the NGO's country director, have been held since the organization was suspended in July. The situation underscores escalating tensions between the junta and Western aid entities amid a deteriorating security environment in the country.

The military government of Burkina Faso has arrested eight members of a Dutch humanitarian organization, accusing them of 'spying and treason'. This group includes three Europeans, a Malian national, and four Burkinabé, consisting of the NGO's country director and deputy.

According to Security Minister Mahamadou Sana, the NGO is alleged to have 'collected and passed on sensitive security information that could be detrimental to national security and the interests of Burkina Faso, to foreign powers'.

The International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) vehemently denied these claims. A representative, Anthony Neal, informed the BBC that while the Burkina Faso country director has been detained since July following the suspension of the organization, the remaining seven were arrested at a later date.

Burkina Faso's authorities had previously suspended the NGO for three months due to what they described as the unauthorized collection of sensitive data. The NGO, active in the country since 2019, aimed to support humanitarian workers' safety.

Despite the suspension, the government alleges that NGO members continued to gather information and conduct meetings secretly. Neal disputes this, asserting that their information-collection activities stopped in July, while staff stayed to manage the crisis surrounding their detentions.

The NGO emphasizes that the information it collects is not classified and is intended for the safety of aid workers. They maintain that Burkinabé authorities were fully aware of their operations and intent.

The military regime, under Capt. Ibrahim Traore, which took control in a coup three years ago, has experienced a consistent fractious relationship with Western nations, particularly following a shift from cooperation with France in favor of military support from Russia amid growing security threats.

Human rights groups have accused the military of abuses against civilians while combating insurgents and have raised alarms over a crackdown on political dissent and freedom of expression.