The police officer knocked on her door, questioned her about her ongoing investigations, then left without a word. The next day, April 1, Sophie Douce learns that she must leave Burkina Faso within twenty-four hours. Correspondent of World and L’Express, based in Ouagadougou since 2018, she has had, she is surprised, “no written notification” from the Burkinabe authorities, any more than her colleague from Liberationn, Agnès Faivre, also expelled from the country.
L’Express strongly condemns these arbitrary expulsions, which take place in a tense security context. While jihadist groups are stepping up attacks, Burkinabe power, held in an iron fist by Ibrahim Traoré, is putting increasing pressure on the media. Any criticism of state action, in particular military action, is perceived as suspicious, and for good reason: “For several months, the violence of the army has been increasing, in particular with regard to the Fulani community”, insists Sophie Douce.
Russian shadow
Who would dare to denounce it? On social networks, local journalists are the subject of strong hate campaigns. And end up self-censoring. Long an example in terms of freedoms, Burkina Faso risks becoming a “zone of non-information”, worries the NGO Reporters Without Borders in a recent report.
Like, before him, the CAR and Mali, which both resorted to Russian “expertise” in propaganda and disinformation. Does Moscow’s shadow now extend over Ouagadougou? Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, hardly hides it. He speaks of “developing multifaceted cooperation”. Another way of saying it.