The correspondents of the French media ‘Le Monde’ and ‘Libération’ are expelled

First modification: 04/02/2023 – 22:29

The correspondents of the French newspapers ‘Le Monde’ and ‘Libération’ in Burkina Faso were expelled from the country on the night of Saturday, April 1, both directors of the newspapers announced on Sunday, denouncing an “unacceptable” and “arbitrary” measure.

The two journalists arrived in Paris on Sunday morning, according to ‘Libération’.

“Our correspondent in Burkina Faso, Sophie Douce, has just been expelled from the country (…) at the same time as her colleague from ‘Libération’, Agnès Faivre,” said ‘Le Monde’ on its website. “The sanction has been imposed and with it it is confirmed that the freedom of the press in Burkina Faso is seriously threatened”, wrote ‘Libération’.

‘Le Monde’ “condemns this arbitrary decision in the strongest possible terms, which forced the two journalists to leave Ouagadougou in less than 24 hours.” “Sophie Douce, like her colleague, works for ‘Le Monde Afrique’ as a freelance journalist, free of any pressure,” the newspaper added.

The editor of the newspaper, Jérôme Fenoglio, “appeals to the local authorities to annul these decisions as soon as possible and to restore the conditions of independent information in the country without delay.”

According to ‘Libération’, “Agnès Faivre and Sophie Douce are journalists of the highest integrity, who worked in Burkina Faso legally, with valid visas and accreditations issued by the Burkinabe government.

“We strongly protest against these absolutely unjustified expulsions and the ban on our journalists working with complete independence,” the newspaper added.

“After an investigation of ‘Libération'”

The two journalists were summoned to the national security headquarters in Ouagadougou on Friday, and were later ordered to leave Burkina Faso within 24 hours.

‘Libération’ has stated that “the publication, on March 27, of the ‘Libération’ investigation into the circumstances in which a video was filmed in which at least one soldier executed children and adolescents in a military barracks, has evidently greatly upset the junta in power in Burkina Faso”.

“The government strongly condemns these manipulations disguised as journalism to tarnish the image of the ‘Country of honest men,'” wrote the Burkinabe government spokesman, Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, after the publication of the investigation, assuring that the Army acts “in strict compliance with international humanitarian law”.

Burkina Faso, ruled by authorities that emerged from two coups in 2022 and faced with an increase in deadly attacks, cut French news channel France 24’s broadcast on its territory on Monday.

In early December, the ruling junta had already suspended the issuance of Radio France Internationale (RFI), from the same group as France 24, France Médias Monde.