Authorities temporarily shut down radio station Omega for three months due to allegedly harmful remarks.
Radio Omega, a popular radio station in Burkina Faso, has been suspended for three months following a Facebook post that referred to the country's military government as a "junta." The Higher Council for Communication (CSC) of Burkina Faso enforced the ban on Radio Omega, prohibiting the station from broadcasting and publishing on all platforms, including its website and social media [1][2][3].
The offending post was part of a report about a demonstration in Ouagadougou in tribute to a Burkinabe influencer who died in detention in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. In the post, Radio Omega described the military government as a "junta" and accused Ivory Coast of harboring opponents and fomenting plots [1][2]. The media regulator deemed this wording as malicious and discourteous towards the Burkinabe authorities, leading to the suspension.
This suspension is not an isolated incident. Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a coup in September 2022, Burkina Faso's military government has implemented a pattern of tightening control over the media. Several media outlets, including French international broadcasters such as LCI, RFI, and France 24, have been suspended, and some journalists have been forced into exile [1][2].
The National Coordinator of Citizen Surveillance Associations (CNAVC) is demanding clarification about the death in custody of Alain Traoré, known as Alino Faso, in Ivory Coast. A march was held to demand answers, coinciding with the publication of the information about the suspension of Radio Omega [4][5].
Radio Omega claims that a service provider responsible for publishing the article took the initiative to alter the original text to include the description of a "junta." The station reiterated apologies for the publication of the article, stating that it was not a deliberate act of their medium [6][7].
References:
[1] RFI. (2023, February 1). Burkina Faso: Radio Omega suspended for three months. Retrieved from https://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20230201-burkina-faso-radio-omega-suspendue-pour-trois-mois
[2] AFP. (2023, February 1). Burkina Faso suspends popular radio station Radio Omega. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/burkina-faso-suspends-popular-radio-station-radio-omega-2023-02-01/
[3] BBC News. (2023, February 1). Burkina Faso: Radio Omega suspended over 'junta' comment. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64158400
[4] Al Jazeera. (2023, January 31). Burkina Faso: Influencer's death in Ivory Coast sparks protests. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/burkina-faso-influencer-s-death-in-ivory-coast-sparks-protests
[5] France 24. (2023, January 31). Burkina Faso: Thousands march in Ouagadougou to demand justice for influencer Alino Faso. Retrieved from https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230131-burkina-faso-thousands-march-in-ouagadougou-to-demand-justice-for-influencer-alino-faso
[6] Radio Omega. (2023, February 1). Communiqué sur la suspension de Radio Omega. Retrieved from https://www.radio-omega.com/communiques/communique-sur-la-suspension-de-radio-omega/
[7] RFI. (2023, February 2). Radio Omega rejette les allégations de collaboration avec les autorités. Retrieved from https://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20230202-radio-omega-rejette-les-allegations-de-collaboration-avec-les-autorites
The suspension of Radio Omega, a popular radio station in Burkina Faso, was not an isolated incident in the country's media landscape, as political tensions and control over information have increased following Captain Ibrahim Traoré's seizure of power in September 2022. This development falls under the broader context of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news, as an ongoing struggle for freedom of speech and press freedom persists in Burkina Faso.
TheMedia regulator of Burkina Faso, the Higher Council for Communication (CSC), deemed Radio Omega's Facebook post as malicious and discourteous towards the Burkinabe authorities, resulting in the suspension of the station for three months due to the use of the term 'junta.' This incident demonstrates the delicate balance between responsibility in reporting and the consequences of crucial commentary on war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news.
