Authorities in military-ruled Burkina Faso have suspended Voice of America (VOA) radio for three months over remarks “likely to undermine the morale of the forces” fighting jihadists, the US radio network said Wednesday.
The West African nation has been battered by a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
Multiple foreign news outlets — the majority French — have been shuttered temporarily or indefinitely since Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in a September 2022 coup.
“Pursuant to the order, we have shut down our FM transmitter in Ouagadougou,” VOA spokesman Nigel Gibbs said in a statement sent to AFP.
Burkina’s AIB state news agency reported that the Supreme Council for Communication (CSC) took the decision after a journalist at VOA described a jihadist attack on September 17 in the Malian capital Bamako as “courageous”.
It said the journalist also said that nothing “is being done in terms of security by the combat forces” of Burkina Faso.
The AIB news agency quoted the regulatory authority as saying that the “serious shortcomings” were “likely to undermine the morale of combat forces” who are battling jihadist groups.
Local media reported that VOA was also fined 25 million CFA francs ($42,000, 38,100 euros).
“While VOA respects the regulatory framework within Burkina Faso, we do not agree with what we believe are incorrect assertions made by the CSC,” Gibbs said.
He also refuted that the radio network had “condoned or justified terrorism”.
“Statements made during the programme in question, Washington Forum, were part of an open discussion designed to inform and engage audiences on important security matters affecting the region,” Gibbs added.
“Our goal was to approach the topic in a fair and impartial way.”
The junta has made the return of national sovereignty one of its priorities and regularly hits out against Western powers.
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