Burkina Faso junta suspends French magazine over 'untruthful' articles (updated)

Television Francaise 1 SA

25/09/2023 19:58

(Adds detail and context)
       DAKAR, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso's military junta
on Monday suspended the French news magazine Jeune Afrique for
publishing "untruthful" articles that reported tension and
discontent within the country's armed forces, it said in a
statement.
    Jeune Afrique's suspension marks the latest escalation in a
crackdown on French media since the West African country fell
under military rule last year.
    The statement accused the publication of seeking to
discredit armed forces and of manipulating information to
"spread chaos" in the country following two articles published
over the past four days.
    Relations between Burkina Faso and its former coloniser
France have soured since frustrations over worsening insecurity
linked to a jihadist insurgency spurred two military takeovers
last year.
    These tensions have led to the expulsion of diplomatic
officials, including the French ambassador to the country, and
fuelled a backlash against foreign media. 
    The junta has already suspended French-funded broadcasters
Radio France Internationale and France24 for allegedly giving
voice to Islamist militants staging an insurgency across the
Sahel region south of the Sahara.
    French television channel La Chaine Info, of private
broadcaster TF1, was suspended for three months in June for
airing a report on the insurgency that "lacked objectivity". 
    In April, two French journalists working for newspapers Le
Monde and Liberation were expelled from the country.

 (Reporting by Sofia Christensen
Editing by Chris Reese and Mark Potter)
 ((Sofia.Christensen@thomsonreuters.com;))