Random News

eriinfo

Africa: Junta Must Stop Arbitrarily Detaining Journalists

eriinfo.com05 mins
Africa: Junta Must Stop Arbitrarily Detaining Journalists


On 14 October, Zawenmanogo Dieudonné Zoungrana, publishing director of Aujourd’hui Au Faso newspaper, was detained at his home by members of the National Intelligence Agency, before being released one day later.

On 13 October, Ousséni Ilboudo, editor of L’Observateur Paalga newspaper, and Michel Nana, deputy editor-in-chief of Le Pays newspaper, were also detained and then released on 14 and 15 October respectively.

None of the three journalists was given any reason for their arrest, according to local media.

Since coming to power in September 2022, Burkina Faso’s military junta has adopted a repressive strategy that is aimed at silencing its opponents – while specifically targeting journalists, human rights defenders and other members of civil society. The junta clamped down on local and foreign media outlets, like TV5 and Le Monde, which were suspended and asked to leave the country because of their critical reporting. Furthermore, media reports revealed that some journalists arrested in the country were forcibly enlisted into the army and taken to the battlefield against jihadists insurgency.


Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

In March 2025, Guézouman Sanogo, President of the Association des Journalistes du Burkina (AJB), an IFJ affiliate, his Vice President, Boukari Ouoba, and journalist Luc Pagbelguem were arrested for allegedly denouncing the junta’s restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom and they were enlisted into the country’s armed forces. They were released on 21 July, after being held for four months.

In June and July 2024, two journalists – Adama Bayala of the private TV station BF1 and Alain Traoré of Omega FM – were arrested by unidentified men and detained for more than a year without being charged. They were released in September 2025. These are only some examples of cases in which journalists have been arbitrarily detained in Burkina Faso.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger welcomed the release of the three journalists, while condemning the junta’s unlawful practices aimed at silencing journalists: “Since the junta came to power in September 2022, there has been a systematic pattern of repression and intimidation against the media, which is deliberately orchestrated to suppress critical voices. This systematic repression, designed to prevent citizens from accessing critical information, is completely unacceptable.”

The IFJ calls on the authorities in Burkina Faso to free, with immediate effect, all journalists that are still held in custody in relation to their work and to allow them to perform their duties without fear or intimidation