BREAKING: Burkina Faso Suspends BBC, Voice of America, Reason Emerges
- Burkina Faso has suspended the BBC and Voice of America radio networks from broadcasting
- Burkina Faso suspended the media platforms after they aired a rights report accusing the army of attacks on civilians in its battle against jihadists
- The British and US broadcasters are the latest international media organisations to be targeted since Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in the West African country in a September 2022 coup
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism and global issues.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - Burkina Faso has temporarily suspended the programmes of the BBC and Voice of America (VOA).
As reported by Al Jazeera on Friday, April 26, the decision of the French-speaking country follows the broadcast of news stories about a Human Rights Watch report accusing the Burkinabè army of abuses against civilian populations.
Source: Getty Images
The story alleged that the Burkina Faso army massacred 223 villagers in a revenge attack.
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The country’s superior council for communication (CSC) announced late on Thursday, April 25, that “the programmes of these two international radio networks broadcasting from Ouagadougou have been suspended for two weeks”.
Le Monde also noted the development.
Burkina Faso's press sanctions
It is not the first time that Burkina Faso has targeted media outlets with sanctions.
In March 2023, it suspended all broadcasts by the France 24 news channel a few months after also suspending Radio France Internationale (RFI). It accused both public media outlets of having relayed jihadist leaders' messages. The following month the correspondents of French newspapers Liberation and Le Monde were expelled.
Also, the junta-led government suspended the print and online operations of French media outlet Jeune Afrique in the country after the publication of two articles about tensions within the military.
In June 2023, it suspended French TV channel La Chaîne Info (LCI) for three months.
Read more on Burkina Faso junta
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Tinubu speaks amid Burkina Faso's threat
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tasked the newly inaugurated legislators of the ECOWAS parliament to ensure that Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain in the subregional body.
Tinubu, who also serves as the chairman of the regional body, stated this before the swear-in of the legislators at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
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Source: Legit.ng
