Burkina Faso journalists forced into military training amid security concerns

Journalists in Burkina Faso undergo mandatory military immersion as authorities tighten control

Forty-four journalists from Burkina Faso have recently completed a six-day military training program described as a patriotic immersion, organized by the Ministry of Security at the Pabré Police Academy, located about 20 kilometers from Ouagadougou. This unprecedented requirement, imposed by the military-led government under Captain Ibrahim Traoré, applies to both public and private media outlets and aligns with the declared war effort against Islamist militant groups linked to Al-Qaïda and the Islamic State, which have plagued the country for over a decade.

A video shared on social media by the national broadcaster RTB showed the participants—men and women dressed in military fatigues and holding rifles—lining up for the program.

The Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, addressed the journalists, asking, “Will you be patriotic and professional journalists?” Standing at attention, the group responded in unison: “Affirmative.” The minister then emphasized, “A professional journalist who is not patriotic poses a threat to the nation,” adding, “A professional and patriotic journalist who remains unengaged is merely a passive observer in a time when the nation’s history is being written.”

According to government officials, including Lassina Traoré, Director General of the Police Academy, the training aims to “immerse journalists in the operational realities and values that guide the daily work of defense and security forces.”

Press freedom advocates raise alarm over militarization of media

The government’s initiative has sparked immediate concern among press freedom organizations. Sadibou Marong, Director of Reporters Without Borders’ Sub-Saharan Africa bureau, highlighted the move as a “new and deeply troubling signal for press freedom.” He cautioned, “Journalists are not soldiers, nor should they be turned into propaganda tools for war efforts, dressed in military uniforms and bearing arms.”

The mandatory military immersion for journalists is part of a broader political agenda under Captain Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup, pledging to reclaim national sovereignty with an overtly anti-Western stance. Notably, a similar military training requirement was enforced last year for secondary school students taking final exams.

This temporary conscription of the press unfolds amid escalating pressure on both local and international media by the transitional authorities. Several outlets have faced abrupt suspensions, while human rights groups report that journalists critical of the junta have been forcibly mobilized and sent to combat zones. The case of journalist Serge Oulon, who has been detained for two years following his abduction in Ouagadougou, underscores the tense climate surrounding media freedom in the country.