Burkina Faso Suspends BBC, VOA For Coverage Of Mass Killing Report

Burkina Faso suspended the BBC and Voice of America (VOA) from broadcasting for two weeks due to their coverage of a Human Rights Watch report that detailed the mass killings by the national military.

The government spokesperson, Tonssira Myrian Corine Sanou, announced the suspension on Thursday evening and cautioned other media outlets against reporting similar stories.

The suspension was in response to widespread media coverage, including by the BBC and VOA, of a Human Rights Watch report alleging that Burkina Faso’s army killed 223 civilians, among them 56 children, in villages suspected of aiding militants.

In a news article, VOA maintained that it

Stands by its reporting about Burkina Faso and intends to continue fully and fairly cover activities in the country.

The United Nations, on Friday, urged Burkina Faso to lift the media suspensions, highlighting the importance of media freedom and access to information.

Restrictions on media freedom and civic space must stop immediately,” said the United Nations. “Freedom of expression, including the right of access to information, is crucial in any society, and even more so in the context of the transition in Burkina Faso, said the United Nations.

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