In a recent escalation against media freedom in Burkina Faso, the nation’s transitional military authorities have expelled two French journalists, Agnès Faivre and Sophie Douce. These reporters, representing the French daily newspapers Libération and Le Monde respectively, possessed valid visas and official accreditations for their work in the country.
According to reports from both prominent French newspapers, national intelligence agents summoned and questioned the two journalists about their professional activities on March 31 in Ouagadougou, the capital city. Following this interrogation, they were given a mere 24 hours to depart from Burkina Faso, with no official reason provided for their abrupt expulsion.
In a strong editorial, Libération asserted that the decision to expel its correspondent was “unjustified” and directly connected to Faivre’s March 27 investigation. This inquiry focused on a video allegedly filmed within a military barracks in Ouahigouya, Yatenga province, depicting the bodies of children on the ground alongside individuals appearing to wear Burkinabè military uniforms. Le Monde, for its part, labeled these expulsions “unacceptable” and unequivocally condemned this “arbitrary decision with the utmost firmness.”
The removal of these two journalists represents the latest in a series of actions undermining freedom of expression and media operations across Burkina Faso. This incident follows the March 27 suspension of the French international news channel France 24, and the earlier December 3, 2022, ban on the French international radio station Radio France Internationale (RFI). Both prominent media outlets faced accusations from the Burkinabè government of disseminating false information.
“The junta is inflicting irreparable damage upon freedom of expression within this nation,” commented Daouda Diallo, a distinguished Burkinabè human rights activist and the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders. He further emphasized, “Journalism is not a crime, and it must cease to be a perilous profession in Burkina Faso.”
Both local and international journalists and news organizations operating in Burkina Faso are increasingly subjected to harassment, threats, and arbitrary arrests. This pattern reflects a clear attempt by the military junta to silence independent and critical information sources within the country.
As Burkina Faso grapples with an armed conflict against Islamist groups, journalists must be allowed to operate freely, without fear of reprisal. The transitional military authorities should reverse their decision, permitting Agnès Faivre and Sophie Douce to return to the country. Fundamentally, these authorities ought to dismantle all barriers impeding the vital work of journalists who serve to inform and educate the Burkinabè populace.
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