Burkina Faso’s junta has announced the arrest of eight humanitarian workers from the Netherlands-based International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), an organisation focused on ensuring safety in humanitarian operations. The arrested individuals have been charged with espionage, allegedly for providing sensitive security information to foreign entities.
Security Minister Mahamadou Sana stated that the organisation collected and documented critical information regarding the Burkinabé military, including operational zones, convoy routes, and personnel deployment numbers. Among those detained are two French nationals, one of whom is INSO’s country director for Burkina Faso, along with a Czech citizen, a Malian national, and four Burkinabé nationals. The specific dates of the arrests have not been disclosed.
According to a recent press release issued by INSO, on July 28, representatives from Burkinabé Security Services visited their office in Ouagadougou, where they detained the Country Director. Subsequently, four additional national staff members and three international staff members were also apprehended, including the Global Director of Programmes, who had travelled to Burkina Faso with all appropriate permissions to engage with relevant authorities in an attempt to resolve the matter.
“Over the last three months, we have fully cooperated with the Burkinabé authorities’ ongoing investigation, and we have sought on multiple occasions to open direct dialogue with the Ministre de la Sécurité and have offered to address any concerns they may have regarding our activities,” the press release explains.
INSO, a reputable and principled non-profit humanitarian organisation dedicated to monitoring and reporting on safety trends across more than twenty countries, has firmly rejected the allegations made regarding its operations in Burkina Faso. In its press release, INSO reaffirmed its commitment to taking all necessary measures to facilitate the safe release of all detained workers.
INSO emphasised that its work supports those who seek to help others. In this, according to the press release, “we collect, analyse and distribute information to humanitarian actors. This is done exclusively to keep humanitarians safe. The information we collect is not confidential and is largely already known to the public.”
The NGO has been operational in Burkina Faso since 2019, having responded to requests for assistance from local organisations. It is duly registered with the relevant ministries in compliance with local laws and regulations.
Burkina Faso has been under military rule since a 2022 coup, which their leaders claimed was necessary to stabilise the country amid a growing security crisis and improve governance. However, this has led to an increase in attacks by armed groups controlling much of the territory, particularly outside the capital. Human rights organisations have also raised concerns about the junta’s repression, including the widespread arrest of dissenters and forced military conscription.
The accusations made by the Ministre de la Sécurité are highly concerning, the NGO highlights. “Associating our work to strengthen humanitarian safety with intelligence work is not only false but will only serve to place aid workers at greater risk.”
