Eight members of an international non-governmental organization (NGO) have been released in Burkina Faso, months after the country’s military rulers arrested them on accusations of spying, the organization said Friday.
The Netherlands-based International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) welcomed the release of its staff, expressing gratitude to those who contributed to securing their freedom.
The arrests occurred in July 2025 but were only publicly acknowledged by the junta in early October. INSO clarified that its members were freed at the end of October.
The released personnel included a French national, a French-Senegalese woman, a Czech citizen, a Malian, and four Burkinabe nationals.
Burkina Faso’s military government, which seized power in a September 2022 coup, had earlier revoked the authorization of 21 NGOs in the country, citing security concerns.
Authorities accused INSO of gathering and sharing sensitive security information with foreign powers and of continuing operations covertly despite the ban.
INSO strongly denied the allegations, emphasizing its humanitarian mission. “As a humanitarian organization, we remain committed to supporting NGOs delivering aid safely to all those in need,” the group said.
INSO has operated in Burkina Faso since 2019, providing security analysis to assist humanitarian organizations in conflict-affected areas, and said it upholds humanitarian principles wherever it works.
Civil society and media groups in Burkina Faso often face repression under the guise of combating jihadist violence, which has plagued the country for over a decade.
Burkina Faso’s northern neighbor, Niger, also governed by a military junta, similarly revoked INSO’s authorization at the end of 2024.
The release of the eight NGO members is seen as a small but significant step toward easing tensions between Burkina Faso’s authorities and international humanitarian organizations operating in the region.
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