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Burkina Faso has announced the arrest of multiple staff members from the Netherlands-based NGO, accusing them of espionage and treason.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, eight staff members from the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO) have been arrested by Burkina Faso’s military government, which accuses them of espionage and treason. INSO, a Netherlands-based nonprofit, operates in more than 20 countries, collecting and sharing safety-related information to help humanitarian organizations navigate volatile environments. Its stated mission is to “keep humanitarians safe,” and the group maintains that the data it gathers is open-source and non-confidential. Despite this, the Burkinabé authorities claim that the organization secretly collected sensitive military data, including troop movements, and passed this information to foreign powers.

The arrests stem from a government-ordered suspension of INSO’s operations on July 31, 2025, for allegedly collecting data without proper authorization. According to Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana, INSO staff continued their work in defiance of the ban, operating “clandestinely” and holding unauthorized meetings both in person and online. Those arrested include the country director and another French national, as well as one Czech and one Malian citizen, plus four staff from Burkina Faso.

INSO has strongly denied the charges, issuing a statement calling the allegations “categorically false” and insisting that its mission has been mischaracterized. “The information we collect is not confidential and is largely already known to the public,” the organization said.

It also noted that the Burkinabé authorities had long been aware of its mandate, stating, “We have operated in Burkina Faso since 2019, following requests to support NGOs there, and we are registered with relevant ministries in accordance with local laws.”