By Mercy Adewunmi
The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has called for the immediate release of three Burkinabe journalists who were arrested by intelligence agents and forcibly conscripted into the military — a move the organization calls a “brazen assault on press freedom.”
Guezouma Sanogo, president of the Association of Burkinabe Journalists (AJB); his deputy Boukari Ouoba; and BF1 reporter Luc Pagbelguem were detained on March 24 after speaking out against growing media repression during the AJB Congress. A video that surfaced last week showed the three men in military uniforms at an undisclosed location, flanked by armed soldiers.
CAJ President Christopher Isiguzo condemned the arrests and conscription as a dangerous precedent. “Journalists are not soldiers. Silencing them through forced military service is a violation of every principle of press freedom,” he said.
Sanogo had publicly demanded the release of four journalists abducted and conscripted in 2024. His remarks — and subsequent media coverage by Pagbelguem’s outlet — appear to have triggered the latest crackdown. The government has since suspended AJB operations, deepening fears of a media blackout.
CAJ is also demanding the release of Serge Oulon, Adama Bayala, and Kalifara Sere — all missing since June 2024 and later confirmed to have been forced into military service. The whereabouts of columnist Alain Traore, seized by masked gunmen in July 2024, remain unknown.
As the situation deteriorates, journalists are fleeing the country in growing numbers. On April 1, prominent journalist Newton Ahmed Barry was listed by the government as “wanted” for alleged terrorist links — a charge widely condemned as politically motivated.
Isiguzo warned that the campaign against the media is fueling fear and self-censorship, undermining the public’s right to information. He called on international organizations to pressure Burkina Faso to respect journalists’ rights and ensure their immediate release.
