In Burkina Faso, “terrorists sow terror. So do the authorities”

The “transitional president” indeed cherishes the “patriotic treatment” of information. “The Penal Code was amended in 2019 to condemn what the government calls the apology of terrorism on social networksexplains a former Burkinabé journalist who wishes to remain anonymous. But it turns out that this law includes traditional media, even if it does not explicitly say so. It clearly states that no citizen can report a scene on the ground, such as a terrorist attack, whether through image, sound, or video. Only the army can provide this type of information.“Offences are punishable by imprisonment of one to ten years and a maximum fine of 10 million CFA francs (or approximately 15,900 euros).

Burkina Faso: a regime running out of steam after 2 years in power

Forced mobilization

For our witness, who no longer lives in Burkina Faso, “it has become impossible to practice independent journalism that questions the socio-political situation. Criticizing power is the red line that cannot be crossed. Either we must align ourselves with government communication, or we must remain silent. Either you accompany and applaud the power, or you say nothing. There are no middle voices.“Media are thus suspended, and journalists arrested (or expelled if they are foreigners).

The media landscape in Burkina Faso is also weakened by major information and destabilization operations which are carried out in parallel by foreign authorities. This is particularly the case of the “Pan-African Group for Trade and Investment”, a pro-Russian disinformation network, which has been the subject of sanctions imposed by the European Union.

Many journalists present in the field are confronted with terrorist attacks… under duress. According to our source, the government uses a general mobilization law, adopted in April 2023, which gives it the possibility of requisitioning any adult person to send them to the front. “But this is done selectively. Those who do not agree with the authorities are the first to be sent into battle, like the publishing director of the investigative newspaper The Event. He was taken from his home at 5 a.m. in June 2024.“Our witness also mentions columnists from the television channel BF1 no one has heard from since June. “They led critical debates on set. I searched for information about them, to no avail. This whole phenomenon pushes journalists to remain silent.“

Sahel juntas face jihadist pressure

The military junta, at what cost?

However, some members of Burkinabe civil society believe that the military junta in power is the price to pay for peace. This is particularly the case of Yves Ouoba, director of a development association, who reported to The Freelast March, that “The priority of the average citizen is peace and work, and not having a civilian in power.”

This is not the opinion of our interlocutor, for whom “terrorists sow terror. The authorities too. Personally, I do not believe that military power is a price to pay for having a stable country. I think we can achieve the same results, or even better results, without restricting collective freedom. After two years in power, there is no sign that we are emerging from the crisis. It is a crisis situation which is difficult for journalists, but also for the rest of Burkinabe society.“

Our witness nevertheless wants to be optimistic. “We must still recognize that this crisis allows journalism to reinvent itself. Journalists continue to provide information as best they can through social networks, particularly those in exile. Journalists who are not in the country manage to provide information in a balanced way. We must allow people to express themselves, to make proposals to find solutions. We must change our minds and find alternatives to overcome this situation. Over time, the authorities may realize that the grip must be loosened.“