Forty-four Burkinabè journalists recently completed a six-day military training program in Burkina Faso, described as a « patriotic immersion » exercise organized by the Ministry of Security at the Pabré Police Academy, located roughly 20 kilometers from Ouagadougou.
This unprecedented mandate, enforced by the military-led administration under Captain Ibrahim Traoré, applies to both public and private media outlets. It aligns with the government’s declared war effort against jihadist factions linked to Al-Qaïda and the Islamic State, which have waged attacks across Burkina Faso for over a decade.
A video shared on social media by the public broadcaster RTB showed the journalists—men and women—dressed in military fatigues and holding rifles during their training.
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. » The minister then warned, « A professional journalist who lacks patriotism poses a threat to the nation, » adding that « a professional and patriotic journalist who remains unengaged is merely a passive observer in a moment critical to the nation’s history. »
According to the government, particularly Police Academy Director Lassina Traoré, the training aims to « instill [journalists] with operational realities and the core values guiding the country’s defense and security forces daily. »
This government-led initiative has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates. Sadibou Marong, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), called the program « a deeply troubling new precedent for media freedom. »
He emphasized, « Journalists are not soldiers, nor should they be repurposed as propaganda tools for war efforts, dressed in military uniforms and bearing arms. »
The mandatory training reflects a broader political agenda under Captain Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup. His administration has pursued a nationalist and anti-Western agenda, framed as a push to reclaim national sovereignty. Notably, a similar military training requirement was imposed last year on secondary school students preparing for final exams.
This coercive integration of the press into military initiatives occurs amid escalating pressure on both local and international media outlets.
Several media organizations have faced outright suspensions by the transitional authorities. Meanwhile, human rights groups report that dozens of journalists critical of the junta have been forcibly conscripted and sent to combat zones. The case of journalist Serge Oulon—still detained two years after his abduction in Ouagadougou—highlights the growing tensions.
