Burkina Faso releases two journalists and human rights activist

On July 17th, Burkina Faso released two journalists and a human rights activist, as reported by Radio France Internationale.

Journalists Luc Pagbelguem and Boukari Ouoba and activist Lamine Ouattara were released on July 17th, following their abduction in the wake of critical comments made about the ruling junta. They were then forcibly requisitioned by the junta to go and fight the jihadists on the front line – a practice denounced by human rights activists.

Vice President of the Burkina Journalists’ Association (AJB), Boukari Ouoba, and Luc Pagbelguem, a journalist with the privately-owned television station BF1, had been arrested separately. One was arrested for denouncing the junta’s attacks on freedom of expression and press at a meeting of the AJB. The other for having produced a report on these remarks. 

The AJB is considered to be “dissolved” and “inexistent” by Ibrahim Traoré’s current ruling military junta.

Both journalists appeared a few days later in a video linked to the fight against jihadism.

However, the president of the AJB, Guézouma Sanogo, who was also questioned at a meeting, is still missing.

Also released this week was Lamine Ouattara, an activist with the Burkina Movement for Human and Peoples’ Rights (MBDHP), who was arrested two years ago.

Several journalists and civil society activists are still being held by the army. According to human rights organisations, the military junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré is using a general mobilisation decree as part of its anti-jihadist fight to suppress critical voices and send them to the front.

The current junta has been accused of mass killings by Human Rights Watch, and recently dissolved its national electoral commission, signalling a reduction in democratic and human rights.

Radio France Internationale, Maghrebi.org