Nairobi, Kenya: April 8, 2025 – The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has called for the immediate release of three journalists detained and forcibly conscripted into the Burkinabe armed forces.
The detained journalists include Guezouma Sanogo, president of the Association of Burkinabe Journalists (AJB); his deputy, Boukari Ouoba; and Luc Pagbelguem, a reporter for the private television station BF1. They were arrested on March 24 by National Security Council intelligence officers.
Sanogo and Ouoba were targeted after criticizing increasing press freedom violations during the AJB Congress, while Pagbelguem was arrested following his media outlet’s coverage of the event. At the congress, Sanogo had also called for the release of four other journalists who were abducted and conscripted into the army in 2024.
A recently surfaced video shows the detained journalists wearing military uniforms in an undisclosed location, surrounded by armed men in Burkinabe army attire. In response, CAJ has strongly condemned the Burkinabe authorities and demanded their immediate release, emphasizing the urgent need to uphold press freedom.
“We urge the Burkinabe authorities to release these journalists immediately and ensure media professionals can work without fear of persecution,” said CAJ President Christopher Isiguzo. He expressed grave concern over the escalating crackdown on journalists and media outlets in Burkina Faso, including the suspension of AJB’s operations.
Isiguzo warned that the continued repression of the press fosters fear and self-censorship, ultimately undermining fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
CAJ also called for the release of three other journalists—Serge Oulon, editor-in-chief of L’Evénement newspaper; Adama Bayala; and Kalifara Sere of BF1—who were forcibly conscripted into the army in 2024. These journalists disappeared in June 2024, and authorities confirmed their conscription in October. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Alain Traore, a columnist with Omega Media, remain unknown since his abduction by masked gunmen in July 2024.
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The crackdown has forced many journalists into exile, fearing arrest and conscription. Notably, on April 1, the Burkinabe government labeled prominent journalist Newton Ahmed Barry as “wanted for association with a terrorist organization.”
During the AJB Congress, concerns were also raised over the disappearances of journalists Bienvenue Apiou, James Yazid Dembele, and Mamadou Ali, further underscoring the dire state of press freedom in Burkina Faso.
CAJ continues to monitor the situation closely and urges international organizations to pressure the Burkinabe government to respect journalists’ rights and ensure their safe return.
