Burkina Faso's military government arrested employees of European humanitarian organizations for "espionage"
Kyiv • UNN
Representatives of a European humanitarian mission were detained in Burkina Faso, allegedly for espionage.
The military government of Burkina Faso has reported the detention of eight employees of the Dutch humanitarian organization INSO, who are accused of espionage and treason. The organization categorically denies the accusations and calls for the immediate release of its colleagues. This is reported by Aljazeera, writes UNN.
Details
Burkina Faso authorities announced the arrest of eight people associated with the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), headquartered in The Hague. Among those detained are citizens of France, the Czech Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso, as well as a French-Senegalese employee.
39 people killed in attacks in Niger: children among the victims15.12.24, 06:01 • 18718 views
The country's Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, claims that the detainees continued INSO's activities after a temporary ban on its work, introduced back in July. According to the official, they allegedly "collected confidential information and transmitted it to foreign states," which, according to the authorities, could harm national security.
INSO, in response, stated that its work consists solely of ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers, and the collected data is open and does not contain any secret information. The organization emphasized that it "categorically rejects any accusations of espionage" and is doing everything possible to free its employees.
The situation around INSO reflects the broader political course of Burkina Faso after the 2022 military coup. The country, along with Mali and Niger, has distanced itself from the West, terminated some international agreements, and created its own association – the Alliance of Sahel States. These regimes have refused to cooperate with France and are drawing closer to Russia, which causes concern in Western capitals.
Against this background, the military governments of the region continue to fight groups associated with "Al-Qaeda" and "Islamic State." International human rights defenders, including Human Rights Watch, record numerous human rights violations by both militants and state security forces.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger sign 'confederation' pact - Media06.07.24, 20:15 • 23052 views