The African Editors Forum (TAEF) has raised concerns about the resurgence and intensification of, what they describe as, the repression of the media in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The Forum has therefore called on the military authorities in these countries to free and allow the media to operate and ensure the safety of all journalists.
The forum, in a statement noted that the military juntas have shut the media space, and snuffed out freedom of expression and the press, which, according to them, have become increasingly hostile to media practitioners.
The forum condemned these actions, urging the authorities to respect the rights of journalists as enshrined in universal press freedom charters.
“TAEF is hereby calling on the authorities in Burkina Faso to respect the rights and freedoms of all citizens – especially so, the rights of journalists as guaranteed under universal press freedom charters.”
“TAEF further calls on the military authorities to release all journalists who have been kidnapped and where their rights have been abused, those should be thoroughly and impartially investigated and when established, the perpetrators should be brought to book to ensure justice for the journalists.”
“We are also calling on the military authorities to lift all the suspensions, allow all media organisations to operate freely, and protect journalists from their supporters and all other groups and individuals who may seek to harm any journalist performing their duties,” part of the statement noted.
