RSF has spearheaded this initiative involving nearly 30 media organizations and human rights groups to protect press freedom in Mali and Burkina Faso.

The coalition has issued an open letter to the governments of both nations, regional institutions, and the international community, urging an end to intimidation and harassment of local and foreign journalists.

They also call for respect of international commitments on freedom of expression and press freedom, particularly the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The coalition includes local media outlets such as Joliba TV News in Mali and Lefaso.net in Burkina Faso, along with press freedom and journalists’ rights organizations like the African Journalists Federation (FAJ), the International Francophone Press Union (UPF), and the West Africa Media Foundation (MFWA).

Unfortunately, both countries have seen declines in the latest World Press Freedom Index, with Burkina Faso ranking 58th and Mali 113th out of 180 countries.

Open letter for the protection of journalists and defense of press freedom in Mali and Burkina Faso

• Chairperson of the African Union Heads of State and Government Conference
• Chairperson of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Conference
• Chairperson of the WAEMU Heads of State and Government Conference
• Chairperson of the African Union Commission
• Chairperson of the ECOWAS Commission
• Chairperson of the WAEMU Commission
• President of the Pan-African Parliament
• UN Secretary-General
• President of the UN Human Rights Council
• UNESCO Director-General
• Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie
• Heads of media regulatory bodies in all 15 ECOWAS member states
• President of the Francophone Media Regulators Network
• President of the Audiovisual Regulators Platform of WAEMU and Guinea
• Communication Ministers of the 15 ECOWAS member states
• President of the African Union of Broadcasting

Assassination threats against journalists and opinion leaders, harassment of national press, smear campaigns against reporters, suspensions of international media (RFI and France 24), expulsions of foreign correspondents (Libération and Le Monde journalists)… The threats to freedom of expression and press freedom in Burkina Faso are alarming. Recent government actions in this country, particularly in recent months, threaten the fundamental right of citizens to access reliable information.

In Mali, journalists and opinion leaders face increasing pressure and intimidation. On February 20, 2023, the Bamako Press House was ransacked. On March 13, radio commentator Mohamed Youssouf Bathily (known as Ras Bath) was charged and imprisoned for denouncing the “assassination” of former Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga. On March 15, Rokia Doumbia (“Rose vie chère”) was arrested for reporting on rising prices and criticizing the transition. On April 6, journalist Aliou Touré was abducted by armed, masked men and held for four days.

The international press is not spared either. In February 2022, a Jeune Afrique reporter was expelled from Bamako, and the following month, RFI and France 24 were banned throughout Mali. From November to December 2022, the Joliba TV channel was suspended by the High Authority for Communication (HAC) after broadcasting an editorial critical of the authorities.

In both countries, these attacks are increasingly amplified on social media by pro-regime influencers who target independent journalists and opinion leaders with death threats. Today, misinformation compounds the violence. As L’Observateur Paalga wrote, “a regime of terror” has taken hold, accompanied by a wave of “fake news” that inundates social platforms with disinformation. The first victims are the Malian and Burkinabè populations, who are deprived of democratic debate.

In this period of severe security crisis, journalists who play a crucial role in informing citizens are fully aware of their responsibilities. They also understand the complexity of the political, geopolitical, and military context and suffer the consequences of this crisis. While they, like all citizens, desire a swift return to peace, the fight against terrorism must not serve as a pretext to impose new norms on information or restrict the fundamental rights of Malian and Burkinabè populations to access professional, independent media.

In Burkina Faso, the situation has become so critical that even the regulatory body has expressed concern. In a statement issued on March 29, 2023, the Superior Council for Communication (CSC) noted “with regret the recurrence of threats against media outlets and journalists” and called on the authorities to “take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of media professionals in the exercise of their duties.”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated he was “deeply troubled by the media situation in Burkina Faso,” adding, “In this period of transition, the protection of independent voices is more necessary than ever.”

On February 20, Alioune Tine, the UN Independent Expert on human rights in Mali, expressed his “extreme concern” about the shrinking civic space, freedom of expression, and association in the country.

Six urgent demands to protect press freedom in Mali and Burkina Faso

• Call on authorities in Mali and Burkina Faso to end all measures violating press freedom.
• Highlight the lack of protection from security forces and the silence of the judiciary regarding intimidation campaigns and death threats against journalists. While respecting judicial independence, we urge prosecutors and judicial police officers to act swiftly against these criminal acts.
• Demand that authorities guarantee the safety and security of all media professionals facing threats, intimidation, harassment, and physical attacks.
• Urge authorities to conduct impartial, effective, and independent investigations to uncover abuses against journalists, identify perpetrators, and bring them to justice.
• Call on both governments to honor international obligations regarding freedom of expression and press freedom, particularly the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• Appeal to national leaders and pan-African and international bodies receiving this open letter to support this initiative at the highest level: access to information is a fundamental right of all people. As World Press Freedom Day approaches, it is essential to defend and protect it.