The year 2023 marks the thirtieth anniversary of World Press Freedom Day. Three decades in which there has been progress, but also lows. The proliferation of free media in many countries and the rise of new technologies have made it possible to streamline the transmission of information. However, press freedom, the safety of journalists and freedom of expression are increasingly under threat.
Celebrated every May 3, this year’s World Press Freedom Day has the theme: “Shaping a future of rights: Freedom of expression as a driver of all other human rights”, meaning that freedom of expression constitutes the essential element for the enjoyment and protection of all other human rights. Freedom of the press makes it possible to disseminate information and ideas to citizens; improve the functioning of the government representing the citizens, by helping them to communicate with it; give citizens a way to draw attention to violations of their rights; bringing government closer to the people, helping policy makers better understand how people perceive them to act.
However, in the face of multiple crises, media freedom, the safety of journalists and freedom of expression are increasingly under threat. While Burkina Faso was considered until recently as one of the success stories of the African continent for press freedom, the rise of insecurity and political instability pose serious risks in terms of security and access to information for journalists. In other words, in Burkina Faso the press no longer has good press. Journalists are struggling to exercise their profession, in a context of military transition marked by an upsurge in terrorist attacks. Suspension of RFI and France 24, expulsion of international media correspondents, hearings of national and international journalists, warnings through press releases, various threats, since the advent of the military putschs, media men have found it difficult to exercise their profession.
Pressures of various kinds make the processing of information more and more complex. Yet everything she says about the war comes from the communiqués of the general staff. For its part, the information policeman that is the CSC affirms that it is playing its part so that journalists exercise their profession in better conditions. In 2022, Burkina occupied the 41th rank out of 180 countries in terms of freedom of the press, according to Reporter Without Borders.
Ousmane TRAORE
