Two journalists held in Burkina Faso under controversial anti-terrorism laws have been released, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced on Tuesday.
Guezouma Sanogo, president of the Association of Burkina Faso Journalists (AJB), and Phil Roland Zongo of Femina FM were freed Monday evening.
Their release comes after four months of forced military service following their arrest in March during a wave of repression against press freedom.
The ruling military junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré since a 2022 coup, is accused of conscripting dissenting voices under the guise of a national mobilisation decree.
Last week, two other journalists—Luc Pagbelguem and another AJB official—were also released, though at least two remain enrolled on the front lines.
RSF described these detentions as part of a broader campaign to silence critics and muzzle independent journalism under the cover of national security.
In the same operation, dozens of military figures, including former gendarmerie chief Evrard Somda, were arrested for allegedly conspiring against the regime.
The junta has justified its actions as necessary to combat insurgents, but human rights groups warn of escalating authoritarianism.
Burkina Faso’s media landscape has shrunk under the weight of fear, with many journalists forced into hiding or silence.
As the country battles conflict, the voices holding power to account are increasingly being drawn into the very war they aim to report.
