(AP) – Burkina Faso’s military junta has arrested three prominent journalists, escalating its crackdown on press freedom, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released Thursday.
Journalists Detained, Whereabouts Unknown
The detained journalists include:
- Guezouma Sanogo, President of the Association of Journalists of Burkina Faso
- Boukari Ouoba, Vice President of the Association
- Luc Pagbelguem, a journalist with BF1 TV
They were arrested Monday by plainclothes officers and taken to an undisclosed location, with no updates on their status. The arrests came after the Journalists’ Association held a March 21 press conference protesting increasing restrictions on media freedom. Pagbelguem covered the event, and the following day, the government dissolved the Association.
Crackdown on Media Across the Sahel
The arrests are part of a broader trend within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—a coalition of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—formed after their coups. These countries have:
- Shifted away from ECOWAS, the regional economic bloc
- Strengthened ties with Russia, particularly the Wagner Group for security support
- Increased media censorship, silencing critical outlets
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reports that despite promises of security, the number of civilian combat deaths has risen compared to pre-coup conditions.
A History of Media Suppression
Earlier this month, Burkina Faso authorities arrested activist-journalist Idrissa Barry, and in April 2023, they blocked major media outlets for reporting on human rights violations.
HRW warns that journalists face threats of imprisonment, torture, and enforced disappearance. One journalist who fled the country stated:
“Free media is dead here; only government propaganda remains.”
