Burkina Faso expels two French journalists

OUAGADOUGOU, April 2 (Reuters) – Burkina Faso has expelled two French journalists who labored for newspapers Le Monde and Liberation, the 2 publications mentioned on Sunday, accusing the authorities of quashing freedom of expression with an escalating crackdown on overseas media .

Liberation mentioned its correspondent Agnes Faivre and Sophie Douce of Le Monde arrived in Paris early Sunday after being summoned individually for questioning by army authorities on Friday and later knowledgeable of their expulsion.

The 2 are “journalists of excellent integrity who’ve labored legally in Burkina Faso with legitimate visas and accreditations… We strongly protest these completely unjustified expulsions,” Liberation mentioned in an announcement on its web site.

The authorities in Burkina Faso had no touch upon the deportations and didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

On March 27, the federal government issued an announcement rejecting a liberation report of alleged killings by Burkinabe army.

The French International Ministry didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Relations between Paris and Ouagadougou have deteriorated sharply since Burkina Faso’s army seized energy in a coup in September. The junta has since ordered French troops to withdraw from the nation and halted broadcasts on French radio and tv station RFI France 24.

“These two evictions mark a brand new main setback within the freedom to publicize the scenario in Burkina Faso,” Le Monde director Jérôme Fenoglio mentioned in an announcement.

Douce’s reporting “seems clearly insupportable to the regime of Ibrahim Traoré, interim president for six months,” he mentioned.

Liberation mentioned its current investigation into youngsters and youth allegedly killed in a army barracks displeased authorities.

“These restrictions on freedom of knowledge are unacceptable and an indication of an influence that refuses to query its actions,” it mentioned.

The Burkinabe authorities had beforehand dismissed the article, accusing the newspaper of desirous to discredit the armed forces.

The federal government mentioned on March 27 that it “strongly condemns these manipulations disguised as journalism to tarnish the picture of a rustic of trustworthy males”.

Burkina Faso is certainly one of a number of West African nations and former French colonies combating Islamist militant teams which have established a foothold in neighboring Mali and have unfold throughout the area over the previous decade.

Hundreds have been killed and greater than 2 million displaced in sub-Saharan Sahel, regardless of the presence of overseas troops, together with these from France.

Frustration on the authorities’ failure to revive safety has fueled anti-French sentiment and contributed to 2 army takeovers in Burkina Faso and two in Mali since 2020.

Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga Writing by Alessandra Prentice Enhancing by Raissa Kasolowsky

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