Eight staff members of the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) have been freed by Burkina Faso’s military authorities after being detained for several months on accusations of espionage, the organisation has confirmed.
INSO, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, said the workers were released in late October. In a statement on Friday, the group welcomed their safe return and acknowledged the diplomatic and humanitarian efforts that contributed to their release.
The arrests took place in July but were only disclosed publicly by the military-led government in early October. Those detained included a French national, a French-Senegalese woman, a Czech citizen, a Malian, and four Burkinabe staff members.
Their detention unfolded during a broader crackdown on nongovernmental organisations. In July, the junta— which seized power in a September 2022 coup—suspended the activities of 21 NGOs, including INSO. Authorities accused the organisation of gathering sensitive security information and sharing it with foreign governments, as well as continuing to operate after its licence was revoked.
INSO, which provides security analysis and guidance to humanitarian agencies, has dismissed the allegations. The organisation stressed that it has been working in Burkina Faso since 2019 at the request of aid groups seeking improved safety for staff in conflict-affected areas. “We remain committed to supporting humanitarian operations and upholding humanitarian principles wherever we work,” the group stated.
Rights organisations say the case highlights an increasingly restrictive operating environment in Burkina Faso, where the authorities often justify actions against civil society and the media as part of efforts to counter violent extremism. For nearly a decade, the country has struggled with deadly attacks by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
INSO has faced similar challenges elsewhere in the region. By the end of 2024, neighbouring Niger—also under military rule—revoked the organisation’s authorisation to operate within its territory.