30 organizations and media call for more protection for journalists in Burkina Faso and Mali
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 30 organizations, structures, movements and press bodies published on Wednesday an open letter for the protection of journalists and the defence of freedom of expression and press freedom in Mali and Burkina Faso.
"Threats to freedom of expression and freedom of the press are very worrying in Burkina Faso, while in Mali, pressure and intimidation against journalists and opinion leaders are increasing," wrote the signatories of the letter addressed to national and international institutions.
In this period of serious security crisis in these two countries, journalists, who play a crucial role in informing citizens, are all aware of their responsibilities, they said, stressing that journalists also understand the complexity of the political, geopolitical and military context.
"They also live and suffer the serious consequences of this security crisis. They wish, like all citizens, a rapid return to peace. However, the fight against terrorism must never be used as a pretext to impose a new information standard and to restrict the fundamental rights of the Malian and Burkinabe populations to seek and have access to information through the professional and independent media," they explained.
On 20 February, Alioune Tine, the UN independent expert on the situation of human rights in Mali, said he was "extremely concerned about the shrinking of civic space, freedom of expression and association" in Mali.
They urged the authorities of Mali and Burkina Faso to put an end to all measures that undermine press freedom and asked them to guarantee the protection and safety of all media professionals who are victims of threats, intimidation, harassment and physical attacks.
"We call on the authorities to conduct impartial, effective and independent investigations to shed light on the abuses committed against journalists, identify those responsible and bring them to justice, and call on both governments to respect the international obligations signed and ratified by the states regarding freedom of expression and freedom of the press, in particular the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," he said.
-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/SOC/BBA/RA 3May2023
