Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

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West African country Burkina Faso suspended radio networks, BBC and Voice of America (VOA) for their coverage of a report that accused the Burkinabe army of executing civilians.

The report was published by the international organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday (Apr 25). According to the report, military forces of Burkina Faso “summarily executed” 223 people in two villages in February. There were at least 56 children among the executed civilians.

Superior Council for Communication of the country said that “the programmes of these two international radio networks broadcasting from Ouagadougou have been suspended for a period of two weeks.” 

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Why did Burkina Faso suspend BBC and VOA? 

They cited BBC Africa and the VOA airing as well as publishing the report "accusing the Burkina army of abuses against the civilian population" on their digital platforms as the reason behind the suspension. They said that BBC and VOA broadcasts had “disinformation likely to discredit the Burkinabe army."

“The [Superior Council of Communications] found the content of the article to be full of peremptory and tendentious statements against the Burkinabe army, without any tangible evidence, especially as the same article calls for an independent inquiry,” Burkina Faso’s media regulator said.

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Also read: '170 people executed' in attacks on Burkina villages: Prosecutor

According to HRW, these "mass killings, among the worst army abuse in Burkina Faso since 2015, appear to be part of a widespread military campaign against civilians". Soldiers killed at least 44 people, including 20 children, in Nondin village, and 179 people, including 36 children, in nearby Soro village, according to its report.

As per the Superior Council of Communications, HRW's report contains "peremptory and tendentious" claims against the army that are likely to cause public disorder. 

Not the first time

This is not the first time the country has censored media. In 2023, Burkina Faso's government suspended France 24 broadcasts for airing a 19-second clip featuring Abou Obeida Youssef al-Annabi, the self-proclaimed leader of the Islamist armed group Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). 

The country, now under military rule, is led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a coup in September 2022, following another coup that toppled President Roch Marc Kabore eight months prior.