Burkina Faso junta closes capital's main mosque after arresting nearly 100 protesters

Burkina Faso's military junta closed the capital's main Sunni mosque on May 29 after arresting nearly 100 supporters of a detained preacher who had staged protests. The closure marks an escalation in government suppression of religious spaces and dissent under military rule. The action reflects broader concerns among rights groups about accelerating repression in the West African nation, where the junta has consolidated power since a 2022 coup. Religious institutions have historically served as forums for public expression in Burkina Faso, making mosque closures a significant restriction on civil society.