According to media reports, the CSC’s decision followed the publication of a post on Radio Omega’s Facebook page on 30 July, “which was deemed to contain malicious and discourteous remarks towards the Burkinabe authorities”. The post was in relation to a demonstration in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, concerning a Burkinabe influencer who died in detention in Ivory Coast. It stated that “Ivory Coast is regularly accused by the Burkinabe junta of harbouring opponents and fomenting plots”.
Despite issuing a corrigendum on 30 July, the CSC noted that the term “junta” is pejorative and insulting, suggesting contempt. “Such a tendency by the media constitutes a malicious insinuation and seriously offends the media,” the judgement declared. The CSC ordered Radio Omega to apologise to the Burkinabe authorities and its audience.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said that the three-month suspension of Radio Omega by the country’s media regulator is unwarranted and is only aimed at intimidating the media. “The media must be allowed to perform their duties without any form of fear or intimidation, including the freedom to use their chosen words in line with journalistic ethics. The CSC has seriously erred in utilising such a flimsy excuse to suspend a radio station for three months. This is totally unacceptable.”
The IFJ called for the suspension to be lifted immediately and urged the Burkinabe government to uphold media freedom in the country.