- Human rights defenders across the Sahel face unprecedented repression as civic freedoms shrink and public liberties come under severe threat.
- The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders — a joint initiative between the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) — released a report highlighting shared patterns of repression in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad. The document analyzes 61 documented cases of fundamental rights violations against defenders over the past five years.
- The report offers urgent recommendations for the four countries and regional bodies to restore safety for human rights defenders, essential for preserving a democratic environment where civil society can thrive.
Sahel crisis deepens as repression of human rights defenders intensifies
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad have experienced profound political shifts in recent years, marked by military takeovers followed by prolonged transitional periods. These events have coincided with a dramatic escalation in the repression of human rights defenders and a drastic contraction of civic space in all four nations.
A new report titled “Civic space and human rights defenders in the Sahel: regional convergence of repression practices” reveals how governments in these countries have systematically adopted similar tactics to silence dissenting voices. Widespread arbitrary arrests, relentless judicial harassment, enforced disappearances, kidnappings, detentions without trial, and torture have become alarmingly common across the region. Online harassment and threats have also emerged as key tools of repression.
«The meticulous documentation of 61 attacks on human rights defenders and civic space over the past five years paints a stark picture: authorities in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad appear locked in a relentless cycle of repression that must be broken. These nations must restore the rule of law and democracy, values to which Sahelian populations remain deeply committed. We stand in solidarity with defenders and their vital mission», warns Drissa Traore, Secretary-General of FIDH.
Beyond direct attacks on defenders, authorities in all four countries are systematically eroding fundamental freedoms. Peaceful protests are banned or violently suppressed, independent associations are dissolved, and media outlets face severe restrictions or outright suspension. These actions blatantly violate regional and international commitments these states have voluntarily undertaken, undermining hopes for a rights-respecting resolution to the ongoing crises.
«It is high time for authorities in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad to align their policies with international human rights obligations and cease their assault on civil society. We also urge the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations, and international partners to take decisive action to halt these violations and restore fundamental rights and freedoms», stresses Gerald Staberock, Secretary-General of OMCT.
Access the full report in French and English via FIDH, or in French and English via OMCT.
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