Mandatory military immersion for burkinabè journalists

Forty-four journalists from Burkina Faso recently completed a six-day military training program described as a « patriotic immersion » exercise. Organized by the Ministry of Security at the Pabré police academy, located roughly twenty kilometers from Ouagadougou, this initiative was made compulsory for both public and private media outlets by the military-led government under Captain Ibrahim Traoré.

The training, framed within the broader war effort against jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaïda and the Islamic State operating in Burkina Faso for over a decade, included footage shared on social media by the national broadcaster RTB. The images showed the journalists, both men and women, dressed in military fatigues and handling rifles.

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

According to government officials, particularly Lassina Traoré, Director General of the police academy, the program aims to « instill in journalists an understanding of the operational realities and values that guide the nation’s defense and security forces on a daily basis. »

Press freedom advocates raise alarm over militarization of media

This government-led initiative has triggered immediate concern among press freedom advocates. Sadibou Marong, Director of Reporters Without Borders’ Sub-Saharan Africa bureau, highlighted the initiative as « a troubling new development » for press freedom in the country.

He asserted, « Journalists are not soldiers, nor should they be turned into mouthpieces for military campaigns, dressed in uniforms and carrying weapons. »

The mandatory military training for journalists aligns with a broader political agenda under Captain Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup. The stated goal of this agenda is to reclaim national sovereignty, with a strong anti-Western stance. Notably, a similar mandatory military training was enforced last year for secondary school students preparing for their final exams.

Heightened government pressure on national media

The temporary enlistment of journalists into military training occurs against a backdrop of intensifying government pressure on domestic and international media outlets.

Several media organizations have faced outright suspensions by transitional authorities. Meanwhile, human rights groups report that dozens of journalists critical of the junta have been forcibly conscripted and sent to the front lines. The case of journalist Serge Oulon, who remains detained two years after his abduction in Ouagadougou, underscores the tense climate surrounding press freedom in the country.