By GLiDE NEWS Africa Desk
A prominent figure within Burkina Faso’s civil society has been arrested amid a growing crackdown on dissent, as concerns mount over rising authoritarianism under the country’s military-led regime.
Romuald Yaro, deputy secretary general of the Patriotic Front — a coalition critical of the junta — was reportedly detained on March 30 in Ouagadougou, the nation's capital. His organisation confirmed the arrest in a statement released Saturday, April 5.
Yaro was allegedly apprehended at his workplace by individuals identifying themselves as agents of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR). Since his detention, there has been no official communication regarding his whereabouts or the reasons for his arrest.
The Patriotic Front described the action as an “extrajudicial abduction” and an “enforced disappearance,” condemning the junta for bypassing legal procedures and silencing dissent through fear and intimidation.
The coalition, which includes political parties and civil organisations, is among the few remaining voices of opposition to the military authorities who took power in 2022 following a coup led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Since then, arrests of activists, journalists, and political opponents have intensified.
Journalists Targeted in Parallel Clampdown
The arrest of Yaro follows the public appearance of three journalists — previously reported missing — in a video circulated on pro-junta social media channels. In the video, which appears to have been filmed in a military barracks, the journalists claimed they were reporting from the frontlines of the fight against insurgents. Human rights observers have raised concerns over whether the statements were made under duress.
Last week, the junta dissolved the Burkina Journalists’ Association (AJB), days after its president Guezouma Sanogo and deputy Boukari Ouoba were arrested. Sanogo had publicly criticised growing restrictions on press freedom.
Pattern of Enforced Disappearances
In March, the political movement SENS also reported that five of its members — including a journalist — were abducted after denouncing mass killings allegedly committed by military forces and pro-government militias.
The military government has yet to respond to any of these claims. Observers say the pattern reflects an alarming erosion of civil liberties and rule of law in the West African country.
Insecurity Fuelling Political Crackdown
Burkina Faso remains deeply unstable, with jihadist insurgencies — spilling over from neighbouring Mali and Niger — worsening the humanitarian and political crisis. The junta has cited the insecurity as justification for clamping down on dissent, claiming national unity is paramount.
However, civil rights groups warn that the systematic silencing of opposition voices is plunging the country into deeper turmoil.
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