BBC, VOA Suspended For 2 Weeks In Burkina Faso Over Reportage On Killings

Burkina Faso bans BBC and VOA for two weeks due to killings news coverage 

Authorities in Burkina Faso have announced that the BBC and Voice of America radio networks will not be able to broadcast for a period of two weeks due to the publication of a rights report that charges the army of attacking civilians.

International NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Thursday that in two retaliatory attacks on February 25, soldiers in the jihadist-infested north of Burkina Faso killed at least 223 civilians, 56 of them were children.

The Communications Authority (CSC) declared late on Thursday that “the programs of these two international radio networks broadcasting from Ouagadougou have been suspended for a period of two weeks.”

The reason given for the decision was that reports “accusing the Burkina army of abuses against the civilian population were aired and uploaded on digital platforms by VOA and BBC Africa.

The report included “hurried and biased declarations without tangible proof against the Burkinabe army,” according to the commission.

Regarding the report, Burkina Faso has not responded. In 2015, a jihadist uprising that originated in neighboring Mali ravaged the West African nation.