Burkina Faso enforces military training for journalists amid rising tensions

Forty-four journalists from both public and private media outlets in Burkina Faso have recently completed a six-day military training program described as a ‘patriotic immersion.’ Organized by the Ministry of Security at the Police Academy in Pabré, about 20 kilometers from Ouagadougou, the initiative marks a unprecedented move by the military-led government under Captain Ibrahim Traoré to bolster its fight against jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaïda and the Islamic State, which have plagued the country for over a decade.

Footage shared on social media by the public broadcaster RTB showed the journalists, both men and women, dressed in military fatigues and holding rifles during the training.

The Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, addressed the participants, asking, ‘Will you be patriotic and professional journalists?’ Standing at attention, the journalists responded in unison, ‘Affirmative.’ He then emphasized, ‘A professional journalist who is not patriotic poses a threat to their country.’ Adding, ‘A professional and patriotic journalist who remains disengaged is like a passive spectator in a moment when the nation’s history is being written.’

The government, including Lassina Traoré, Director-General of the Police Academy, justified the training as a way to ‘immerse journalists in the operational realities and values that guide the daily work of defense and security forces.’

This government-led initiative has sparked immediate concern among press freedom advocates. Sadibou Marong, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), warned that ‘this initiative sends a new and deeply troubling signal for press freedom.’

He further stated, ‘Journalists are not soldiers and should not be turned into mouthpieces for military efforts, dressed in uniforms and holding weapons.’

The mandatory military immersion for journalists aligns with a broader political agenda under Captain Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup with the stated goal of reclaiming national sovereignty. Notably, a similar military training requirement was imposed last year on high school students preparing for their final exams.

This temporary conscription of the press occurs against a backdrop of heightened pressure on both national and international media outlets. Several media organizations have faced outright suspensions by transitional authorities, while human rights groups report that dozens of journalists critical of the junta have been forcibly recruited and sent to the front lines. The situation remains tense, exemplified by the case of journalist Serge Oulon, who has been detained for two years following his abduction in Ouagadougou.