Highly Restricted
This is the weighted total of the four scored pillars.
Assessment windowJanuary 1–December 31, 2025
Research cutoffJuly 17, 2026
FrameworkMethodology v0.3 · 20 indicators
Territory coverageBurkina Faso under military rule and armed conflict
Finding
01Why Burkina Faso received this score.
Conflict-related restrictions, suspensions of outlets and services, arrests, surveillance, and military rule leave online rights highly restricted.
The score draws on country reporting, network measurements, shutdown records, journalist cases, privacy law, and rule-of-law data. The indicator findings below show how that evidence was converted into points. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Open Internet & Content Controls
Shutdowns, throttling, or platform restrictions have been used during protests, elections, conflict, or unrest.
Rule of Law & Accountability
Oversight and remedies are weak, selective, or difficult to use against state digital powers.
Standard coverage
8 cited sources support this assessment.
Scored assessment
02Indicator scores.
Each indicator receives 0–4 points. Five indicators form a pillar. The pillar average is converted to a percentage and multiplied by its published weight.
B
30% weight
Open Internet & Content Controls
Shutdowns, throttling, or platform restrictions have been used during protests, elections, conflict, or unrest.
35.010.5 / 30 points
B1Shutdowns and throttling2.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The military government blocks critical outlets and retains disruption powers, while many services and circumvention tools remain intermittently available outside restricted periods.; DSP's 2025 shutdown-practice estimate 2/4; social-media shutdown estimate 3/4; OONI measurements and the Access Now shutdown record provide the incident check. [2][3][4][1]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's B1 evidence supports 2.0/4. Restrictions are recurrent and safeguards are only partly effective.
B2Website and service blocking1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The military government blocks critical outlets and retains disruption powers, while many services and circumvention tools remain intermittently available outside restricted periods.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and private discussion 0/4; DSP's 2025 political-filtering estimate 1/4; the country OONI dashboard supplies direct network measurements. [3][1][4]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's B2 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
B3Removal and filtering orders1.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The military government blocks critical outlets and retains disruption powers, while many services and circumvention tools remain intermittently available outside restricted periods.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and private discussion 0/4; DSP's 2025 political-content censorship estimate 3/4; online-speech legal protection 2/4. [2][1][3][4]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's B3 evidence supports 1.5/4. Restrictions are widespread, although limited protection remains.
B4Intermediary liability1.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The military government blocks critical outlets and retains disruption powers, while many services and circumvention tools remain intermittently available outside restricted periods.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4; DSP's online-speech legal protection estimate 2/4; protection against legal abuse by political elites 1/4. [2][1][3][4]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's B4 evidence supports 1.5/4. Restrictions are widespread, although limited protection remains.
B5Circumvention and cross-border access1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The military government blocks critical outlets and retains disruption powers, while many services and circumvention tools remain intermittently available outside restricted periods.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and private discussion 0/4; DSP's political-filtering estimate 1/4; independence from state-controlled social platforms 1/4; OONI and Freedom House records provide the circumvention check. [3][1][4]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's B5 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
C
30% weight
Free Expression & Civic Space
Authorities use criminal cases, detention, or severe penalties against online expression and organizing.
32.59.8 / 30 points
C1Legal protection for expression1.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The junta suppresses dissent and pressures journalists and civic groups, while government forces, militias, and extremist groups create severe risks for independent reporting.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and private discussion 0/4; DSP's online-speech legal protection estimate 2/4; WJP's effective-expression measure 2.1/4; the relevant Freedom House country score 20/100. [1][7][5][8]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's C1 evidence supports 1.5/4. Restrictions are widespread, although limited protection remains.
C2Speech-related offenses1.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The junta suppresses dissent and pressures journalists and civic groups, while government forces, militias, and extremist groups create severe risks for independent reporting.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and due process 1/4; DSP's protection against abuse of defamation and copyright law 1/4; Freedom House country reporting supplies the offense and enforcement record. [2][1][5][8]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's C2 evidence supports 1.5/4. Restrictions are widespread, although limited protection remains.
C3Arrests and penalties0.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The junta suppresses dissent and pressures journalists and civic groups, while government forces, militias, and extremist groups create severe risks for independent reporting.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded due process 1/4 and equal treatment under law 0/4; DSP's 2025 political-arrest estimate 0/3; CPJ and Freedom House records provide the documented case check. [2][5][1][8]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's C3 evidence supports 0.5/4. Only narrow residual protection remains.
C4Harassment, violence, and digital attacks1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The junta suppresses dissent and pressures journalists and civic groups, while government forces, militias, and extremist groups create severe risks for independent reporting.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and equal treatment under law 0/4; the 2026 RSF press-freedom score 48.5/100; CPJ and Freedom House reporting provide the violence, harassment, and accountability record. [5][8][1]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's C4 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
C5Civic participation and pluralism2.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: The junta suppresses dissent and pressures journalists and civic groups, while government forces, militias, and extremist groups create severe risks for independent reporting.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded political choice free from domination 0/4 and assembly freedom 1/4; DSP's online-media pluralism estimate 3/4; ordinary people's online civic-mobilization estimate 3/4; WJP's civic-participation measure 2.1/4. [2][1][5][8]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's C5 evidence supports 2.0/4. Restrictions are recurrent and safeguards are only partly effective.
D
20% weight
Privacy, Anonymity & User Security
Broad surveillance powers and limited independent authorization weaken privacy and anonymity.
32.56.5 / 20 points
D1Data protection rights2.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Security monitoring, compelled access, and weak data safeguards expose political communications, particularly for journalists and critics of military rule.; DSP's privacy-law existence measure 1/1; privacy-law constraint on government access 3/4; WJP's effective-privacy measure 1.2/4. [6][1][2][7]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's D1 evidence supports 2.0/4. Restrictions are recurrent and safeguards are only partly effective.
D2Surveillance law and authorization1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Security monitoring, compelled access, and weak data safeguards expose political communications, particularly for journalists and critics of military rule.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded judicial independence 1/4 and due process 1/4; DSP's protection from political social-media monitoring 0/4; WJP's effective-privacy measure 1.2/4. [1][7][2]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's D2 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
D3Retention, access, and identity mandates1.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Security monitoring, compelled access, and weak data safeguards expose political communications, particularly for journalists and critics of military rule.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded private discussion 0/4 and due process 1/4; DSP's privacy-law constraint on government access 3/4; protection from political monitoring 0/4; UNCTAD and Freedom House records provide the retention and identity-law check. [1][6][2][7]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's D3 evidence supports 1.5/4. Restrictions are widespread, although limited protection remains.
D4Targeted surveillance and spyware1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Security monitoring, compelled access, and weak data safeguards expose political communications, particularly for journalists and critics of military rule.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 1/4 and equal treatment under law 0/4; DSP's protection from political monitoring 0/4; the RSF press-freedom environment 48.5/100; CPJ and Freedom House reporting provide the targeted-surveillance case record. [5][1][2][7]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's D4 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
D5Encryption and anonymity1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Security monitoring, compelled access, and weak data safeguards expose political communications, particularly for journalists and critics of military rule.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded private discussion 0/4; DSP's political-filtering estimate 1/4; protection from political monitoring 0/4; OONI and Freedom House records provide the encryption and anonymity check. [3][1][2][7]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's D5 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
E
20% weight
Rule of Law & Accountability
Oversight and remedies are weak, selective, or difficult to use against state digital powers.
15.03.0 / 20 points
E1Judicial independence and due process0.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Two coups, indefinite election postponement, unilateral military rule, and pressure on civil society have removed most effective independent checks.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded judicial independence 1/4 and due process 1/4; WJP's judicial-constraint measure 1.8/4; administrative due-process measure 1.4/4; civil-justice independence measure 1.7/4. [7][1]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's E1 evidence supports 0.5/4. Only narrow residual protection remains.
E2Independent regulators0.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Two coups, indefinite election postponement, unilateral military rule, and pressure on civil society have removed most effective independent checks.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded government safeguards against corruption 1/4 and government openness and transparency 0/4; WJP's independent-review measure 1.9/4; regulatory independence measure 2.2/4. [7][1]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's E2 evidence supports 0.5/4. Only narrow residual protection remains.
E3Government transparency1.0 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Two coups, indefinite election postponement, unilateral military rule, and pressure on civil society have removed most effective independent checks.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded government openness and transparency 0/4; WJP's publicized-laws measure 1.3/4; right-to-information measure 1.8/4. [7][1]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's E3 evidence supports 1.0/4. The right is severely restricted and effective safeguards are weak.
E4Notice, appeal, and remedy0.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Two coups, indefinite election postponement, unilateral military rule, and pressure on civil society have removed most effective independent checks.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded judicial independence 1/4 and due process 1/4; WJP's complaint-mechanisms measure 2.0/4; civil-justice access measure 1.4/4; civil-justice enforcement measure 1.3/4. [7][1]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's E4 evidence supports 0.5/4. Only narrow residual protection remains.
E5Open and multistakeholder policymaking0.5 / 4
Observed record
Burkina Faso: Two coups, indefinite election postponement, unilateral military rule, and pressure on civil society have removed most effective independent checks.; Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded elected officials' authority 0/4 and assembly freedom 1/4; WJP's civic-participation measure 2.1/4; DSP's online civic-mobilization estimate 3/4. [2][1][7]
Scoring judgment
Burkina Faso's E5 evidence supports 0.5/4. Only narrow residual protection remains.
Country findings
03Findings by pillar.
These are the principal findings for each scored part of the report. The indicator records above provide the supporting detail.
Open Internet & Content Controls
Shutdowns, throttling, or platform restrictions have been used during protests, elections, conflict, or unrest.
[2][3][4]Free Expression & Civic Space
Authorities use criminal cases, detention, or severe penalties against online expression and organizing.
[2][5][8]Privacy, Anonymity & User Security
Broad surveillance powers and limited independent authorization weaken privacy and anonymity.
[6][1]Rule of Law & Accountability
Oversight and remedies are weak, selective, or difficult to use against state digital powers.
[7][1]Research record
04Coverage
Burkina Faso under military rule and armed conflict, assessed from January 1 through December 31, 2025.
Evidence
Network measurements, legal and institutional datasets, shutdown records, and documented cases support the findings.
Scoring
Twenty indicators measure content openness, expression, privacy, security, and institutional checks under Methodology v0.3.
Source register
05Sources used for this report.
Country reporting, open measurements, and cross-national datasets form the report record.
- 01Freedom HouseBurkina Faso: Freedom in the World 2026 country report ↗Civil society · 2026 edition
- 02Digital Society ProjectDigital Society Project Dataset v8 ↗Independent measurement · 2000–2025 country-year data
- 03Open Observatory of Network InterferenceBurkina Faso measurement dashboard ↗Independent measurement · Accessed July 17, 2026
- 04Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalitionInternet Shutdowns in 2025 Annual Report ↗Civil society · March 2026
- 05Committee to Protect Journalists2025 journalist prison census and case database ↗Civil society · January 21, 2026
- 06UN Trade and DevelopmentData protection and privacy legislation worldwide ↗International organization · Accessed July 17, 2026
- 07World Justice ProjectRule of Law Index 2025 ↗Independent measurement · October 28, 2025
- 08Reporters Without BordersBurkina Faso: World Press Freedom Index 2026 profile ↗Civil society · May 2026