On the heels of the 36th anniversary of student activist Dabo Boukary’s assassination under former president Blaise Compaoré, Burkina Faso’s military-led government has moved against the country’s largest student federation. The Union générale des étudiants burkinabè (Ugeb) accused the regime of capitaine Ibrahim Traoré of failing to deliver on its security promises, despite the junta’s takeover in a 2022 coup.
In the days following the Ugeb’s public statement, unidentified individuals in plain clothes conducted what the association described as heavy-handed and illegal arrests of several members, including the union’s president. The crackdown escalated swiftly: the Ministry of Territorial Administration announced the immediate suspension of all Ugeb activities for three months, with the possibility of further extension.
Government files terrorism charges against student leaders
The suspension followed a formal accusation of “apology for terrorism”, a charge that carries severe penalties under Burkina Faso’s penal code. The prosecutor’s office near the Ouagadougou High Court opened a judicial inquiry, citing the “seriousness” of the alleged offenses. Authorities allege that statements made by Ugeb leaders may constitute “undermining the morale of defense and security forces”, a legal threshold that could lead to prison sentences ranging from one to ten years.
The prosecutor emphasized that “public advocacy of terrorist acts” is punishable by law, framing the union’s rhetoric as a direct threat to national stability. The development has sent shockwaves through student circles, raising concerns over freedom of expression and the shrinking space for dissent in Burkina Faso’s current political climate.
