In a statement released on April 29, "TV5MONDE is surprised and regrets the temporary suspension of its programs in Burkina Faso and the suspension of access to its websites, without prior consultation. This measure was announced by the Higher Council for Communication of Burkina Faso on April 27, 2024.
The CSC condemns the treatment of a report by the NGO Human Rights Watch in TV5MONDE's Journal Afrique program dated April 25, 2024.
The CSC statement says that the comments reported in the broadcast are "peremptory and tendentious statements against the Burkinabe army without any caution." The decision to suspend the program is based on "the seriousness of the facts…which are likely to cause public disorder."
TV5MONDE would like to point out that the information provided by its editorial team was delivered in accordance with the most rigorous journalistic standards and with the usual precautions. The authorities in Burkina Faso were given the opportunity to express their point of view.
TV5MONDE affirms its commitment to freedom of information and independence. This mission is carried out on a daily basis with professionalism by the journalists of the TV5MONDE editorial team.
It should be noted that Burkina Faso's High Council for Communication (CSC) also decided to suspend the BBC and Voice of America, access to TV5 Monde websites from Burkinabe territory, as well as the websites of the German international radio station Deutsche Welle, the major French daily newspapers Ouest-France and Le Monde.fr, the British daily newspaper The Guardian, the African news portal Apanews, and the website of the economic news agency AgenceEcoFin. (source AFP)