Burkina Faso authorities accused of secretly detaining prominent journalist
Summary
A media rights group says Burkina Faso’s military secretly detained and mistreated journalist Atiana Serge Oulon for nearly two years. The authorities claimed he was forced to join the military, but the group says he was held captive and abused in a secret prison.Key Facts
- Journalist Atiana Serge Oulon disappeared on June 24, 2024, after being taken by about 10 armed men.
- Burkina Faso’s military says Oulon was conscripted into the army.
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) found evidence he was kept captive and beaten in a villa used as a secret prison.
- Detainees in the prison faced threats, physical abuse with tree branches, and food shortages.
- Oulon had been targeted since 2022 after accusing a senior army officer of corruption.
- The military government banned over 100 civil society groups and dissolved all political parties recently.
- Rights groups say the military is cracking down on free speech and forcing critics to join the army.
- Burkina Faso faces ongoing conflict with armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Sahel region.
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