Since seizing power in a September 2022 coup, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has governed a Burkina Faso grappling with a severe security crisis. Within this challenging environment, numerous journalists and civil society figures assert they chose exile to escape what they describe as undue pressures or arbitrary measures. Their narratives offer a glimpse into the current Faso current affairs and the state of independent Burkina journalism.

In interviews conducted in Côte d’Ivoire, home to a significant Burkinabè community, three journalists and a legal professional recounted their hurried, sometimes clandestine departures, and the uncertain future that now lies before them.

continuing to inform amidst threats

Each individual confirmed that they left Burkina Faso out of fear of forced conscription into the military or retaliations directly linked to their professional activities. One journalist explained how they continue their reporting under a pseudonym, while another dedicates their time to training young journalists in investigative techniques, striving to maintain the integrity of the Burkina Faso press.

Several also detailed receiving threats via social media platforms, expressing a persistent fear of being located, even from their place of refuge in exile.

Burkinabè authorities have not publicly responded to these testimonies. However, international human rights organizations have previously condemned the application of the general mobilization decree against certain critical voices of the regime, raising concerns about freedom of expression.

return contingent on improved conditions

For these exiles, Côte d’Ivoire primarily serves as a sanctuary. All express a profound hope of one day returning to Burkina Faso, but they firmly state that their return hinges on a significant improvement in both the political and security situations within the country.

Their collective stories underscore the profound challenges confronting a segment of Burkinabè journalists and opposition members over the past nearly four years. This occurs in a nation where authorities frequently justify their stringent measures by citing the imperative to combat jihadist groups that have plagued the territory for over a decade.