This decision comes amid a broader crackdown under Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s leadership, which seized power in September 2022. In recent weeks, nearly a thousand associations nationwide have faced dissolution or suspension under a restrictive new freedom of association law.

Student leader detained in overnight raids

According to Ugeb, a dozen members—including its president, Wilfried Bazo—were arrested late Monday into Tuesday at the organization’s Ouagadougou headquarters by plainclothes gunmen. Several others remain unaccounted for, with the union alleging “severe violations of freedoms” and demanding their immediate release.

Mounting criticism of military rule

Days before the suspension, Ugeb had condemned what it described as “systematic violations of democratic, union, and political freedoms” under the pretext of counterterrorism. The group also accused the junta of “failing to restore security” amid escalating jihadist violence gripping much of the country.

Prosecutors in the capital announced Wednesday that a judicial investigation has been launched into materials attributed to the student body. Meanwhile, international observers warn this move fits a pattern of state repression targeting dissent.