Burkina Faso: IFJ expresses concern over forced military training of journalists

The Ministry of Security conscripted 44 journalists from public and private media outlets across the country to undertake a six-day military training course which began on 9 August at the Police Academy in Pabre, about 20 kilometres from the capital, Ouagadougou. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns this alarming strategy by the Burkinabé junta, which is undoubtedly intended to control media reporting.

Burkina Faso's junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore attends a dinner reception hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in May 2025. Credit: Mikhail Metzel / AFP.

According to media reports, the government described the training programme as the start of an annual "patriotic immersion" event for journalists and media workers. It includes "military fundamentals, weapons training, physical exercises, first aid, and tactical emergency responses."

In a video shared by the state broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB), the Minister of Communication, Pingwendé Gilbert Ouedraogo, addresses dozens of armed journalists. In his speech, Ouedraogo, who is also the government's spokesman, asks the journalists if they are going to be "patriotic, professional journalists", stating that otherwise they will be a "threat" to the country. Lassina Traoré, the Director of the Police Academy, claimed that the training would help journalists "understand the operational realities and values of the defence and security forces."

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "The forced enrolment of journalists in a military training programme is a form of intimidation and a means of controlling what journalists report on concerning the conflict with jihadist groups, as well as the situation in the country. The military has no business training journalists in the ethics of conflict reporting. Journalists are equipped within their own organisations, which have developed ethical principles to guide their reporting. We call on the authorities to abolish this training programme, which constitutes direct interference in the work of the media."