A streetvendor holds newspapers with the headline on the mutiny in Ouagadougou on January 24, 2022. - The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian KaborÈ, was arrested on Monday and was detained in a barracks in Ouagadougou, the day after mutinies in military camps in this country plagued by jihadist violence, AFP learned from security sources. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP)
press freedom under threat in Mali and Burkina Faso: rsf and 30 organizations call for action
Under the leadership of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), nearly 30 human rights and media organizations have issued a joint open letter to authorities in Mali and Burkina Faso, urging an immediate end to escalating attacks on press freedom in both nations.
“This coordinated initiative highlights the critical need to protect journalists and uphold the right to information,” stated Sadibou Marong, RSF’s Sub-Saharan Africa Director. “In light of World Press Freedom Day, authorities must act decisively to ensure journalists can work without fear of retaliation.”
urgent calls for protection of journalists
The letter condemns a surge in threats against journalists, including:
- Death threats and physical attacks
- Arbitrary suspensions of international media (RFI, France 24)
- Expulsion of foreign correspondents
- Online harassment by pro-regime influencers
alarming press freedom rankings
Recent data from the 2023 World Press Freedom Index reveals a troubling decline:
- Burkina Faso: Ranked 58th (Score: 48.52)
- Mali: Ranked 113th (Score: 45.63)
key demands from signatories
The coalition urges authorities to:
- Cease all measures violating press freedom
- Ensure security for journalists facing threats
- Conduct impartial investigations into attacks
- Uphold international commitments (African Charter on Human Rights)
- Protect democratic debate through independent media
global support for the initiative
Signatories include:
- Local outlets: Joliba TV News (Mali), Lefaso.net (Burkina Faso)
- Press freedom groups: FAJ, UPF, MFWA
- International organizations: Human Rights Watch, UNESCO
Full list of 30 signatories:
- AfrikaJom Center
- Association des Journalistes du Burkina Faso (AJB)
- Association des Professionnels de la Presse en Ligne (APPEL Sénégal)
- Cellule Norbert Zongo pour le Journalisme d’Investigation (CENOZO)
- Fédération des Journalistes Africains (FAJ)
- Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ)
- France 24, Jeune Afrique, Libération, Le Monde
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
- Union Internationale de la Presse Francophone (UPF)
- Wakat Sera (Burkina Faso)
