Burkina Faso’s military junta has suspended the General Union of Students of Burkina [UGEB] for three months, accusing the group of promoting ideas linked to terrorism.

The decision was made official on May 26 through a decree signed by Minister of Territorial Administration Emile Zerbo. The government said the suspension was based on the 2025 law regulating freedom of association, which allows for the suspension or dissolution of organizations.

Authorities pointed to a recent UGEB statement that criticized the junta for failing to improve security almost four years after seizing power. The statement also questioned the impact of publicly announced military equipment deliveries.

A prosecutor in Ouagadougou announced a criminal investigation into the statement, saying it could constitute “glorification of terrorism” under local law.

UGEB is one of Burkina Faso’s oldest student organizations, established in 1960. It has played a major role in student advocacy and broader civic activism over the decades. The decree assigned enforcement to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Mobility, with regional governors and the Ministry of Higher Education also notified.

The suspension comes amid a wider crackdown on associations. Earlier in May, the junta suspended 247 associations for failing to renew their governing bodies, bringing the total to 929 suspended or dissolved in less than a month.

Human rights groups have criticized the measures, saying they restrict freedom of expression and association.