Burkina Faso is intensifying its crackdown on international media outlets following their coverage of a report claiming that the Burkinabè army is implicated in civilian killings.
Deutsche Welle (DW), TV-Cinq, Le Monde, and The Guardian have all faced suspensions, joining the BBC and Voice of America (VOA) on the list of banned media.
This escalation comes in response to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) accusing the military of massacring over 200 civilians, a story covered by these outlets. Burkina Faso authorities have dismissed the HRW report, stating that a legal inquiry is underway to “establish the facts.”
The military-led government of Burkina Faso has denounced the HRW report as “baseless accusations,” asserting that a legal investigation into the incidents at Nodin and Soro is ongoing.
The minister expressed astonishment at HRW’s rush to judgment, stating, “while this inquiry is underway to establish the facts and identify the authors, HRW has been able, with boundless imagination, to identify ‘the guilty’ and pronounce its verdict.”
HRW has characterized the situation as “among the worst army abuses in Burkina Faso since 2015,” suggesting that these civilian killings may constitute crimes against humanity.
According to a statement from Burkina Faso, the media coverage surrounding these accusations aims to discredit the country’s armed forces.
As a reminder, Mali has faced similar allegations, particularly after ending its relationship with France and starting the fight against terrorism alongside Russia. The veracity of these reports remains uncertain, with many Pan-Africanists considering them to be propaganda.
The UN Human Rights Office has expressed concern over the media suspensions, urging an immediate end to restrictions on media freedom and civic space.
Civilian killings saga: Burkina Faso at war with international media
