By John Ikani
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global press freedom watchdog, is raising alarm over the forced conscription of journalists into the military in Burkina Faso.
Sadibou Marong, the West Africa director for RSF, spoke to the BBC’s Africa Daily podcast, revealing that journalists critical of the government are being targeted.
“They dared to criticise the government and they now have been summoned to join the army,” Marong said.
This isn’t the first instance of such practices. The military-led government has previously admitted to enrolling government critics in the army.
Marong added that a recently passed law by the transitional assembly empowers authorities to identify and forcibly conscript young people into military service.
According to Marong, he has been in contact with two journalists who received official summons to join the army.
One journalist reportedly served for a month before escaping near the Ivory Coast border.
These developments come after a recent crackdown on foreign media outlets.
The BBC, Guardian, and Le Monde were all suspended for their reporting on a Human Rights Watch (HRW) accusation against the Burkina Faso army.
The HRW report alleged the killing of 223 civilians in February, a claim rejected by the Burkina Faso government.
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