Burkina Faso’s military junta suspended radio broadcasts on French Radio France Internationale for “false news” and “giving voice to armed groups”. RFI protests “for the totally unfounded accusations that question its professionalism”.
In a statement on Saturday, Burkinabe’s government said the state-owned FRY had broadcast a message earlier that day from a leader of an armed group threatening the population. RFI also reported that President Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, who seized power in a coup in September, said there had been a coup attempt to depose him.
“In light of the above, the government has decided to immediately suspend the transmission of all RFI programs on the national territory”, reads the government statement. According to RFI, the accusations are unfounded and the decision to suspend broadcasting was taken without notice and without following Burkinabé’s official procedures.
french influence
RFI Afrique, which broadcasts across French-speaking Africa, says it is looking into ways to resume broadcasting. In March, neighboring Mali already banned the French-language news channel, making Burkina Faso the second country to so explicitly distance itself from France.
Both Mali and Burkina Faso have dismissed their former colonizer, active in both countries in the fight against jihadist insurgents, and have exchanged the French military presence for the Russian Wagner mercenary movement.
Source: BNR
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