In the Sahel, repression is intensifying. Human rights defenders and journalists are being silenced under the pretext of national security.

A region of hope and resilience

The Sahel, a vast region connecting West and Central Africa, is a land of hope and solidarity. Its committed youth, resilient communities, and human rights defenders embody a force for change and inspiration.

But since 2020, the region has been plunged into an authoritarian spiral. Under the guise of “national security” and the fight against terrorism, the authorities of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have stepped up attacks on fundamental freedoms.

Human rights defenders, journalists and citizens who speak out peacefully are now treated as enemies of the state.

An increasingly repressive climate

Coups d’état that have taken place in different countries have led to the establishment of military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, accompanied by a shrinking of civic space.

Authorities cite the “protection of national sovereignty” to justify censorship, the criminalisation of dissent and the closure of independent media.

Yet, despite the arrests, disappearances and threats, some voices continue to be raised.

Some emblematic cases

In recent years, there have been dozens of cases of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and targeted military conscription in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Journalists, activists, and human rights defenders risk their freedom, and sometimes their lives, as soon as they dare to speak out.

Read the full article on Silence and Repression: The new face of the Sahel