Burkina Faso has arrested eight aid workers from the Dutch aid organization INSO on Tuesday. They are suspected of espionage and treason. INSO denies the allegations. There are no Dutch citizens among the arrested aid workers.
The employees of the International NGO Safety Organization (INSO) will be brought before the public prosecutor, the Burkinabe Minister of Security Mahamadou Sana announced on Tuesday evening.
It concerns a Czech, a Malian, two French and four Burkinabes, including the country director and the deputy director. The employees were arrested some time ago, but it is not clear when. According to INSO, they are “still” in custody.
The aid workers are accused of collecting sensitive information in the West African country, writes news agency Reuters. That information would be about military operations and the movements of insurgents. Burkina Faso is struggling with an increase in jihadist attacks. According to Sana, INSO would calculate death tolls after those attacks, something that according to the minister is against the law.
INSO is based in the Netherlands. The organization collects information and analyzes it. The data are also shared with international and national NGOs. INSO tells Reuters that this information is used to adjust decisions and ensure the safety of personnel. In a statement, the organization states that this information is public and therefore not confidential.
The organization rejects the allegations, INSO writes. The NGO finds the allegations disturbing. “Relating our humanitarian work to intelligence work is not only incorrect, but will only expose aid workers to greater risks.” INSO says it is “doing everything it can to secure the release of our colleagues”.