The West African nation of Burkinabe, known as” Burkinabe,” has suspended the radio broadcasts of BBC Africa and Voice of America (VOA ) for two weeks due to their coverage of a Human Rights Watch ( HRW) report.
In their information, both the websites had accused the army of judicial deaths, authorities said late on Thursday.
The East African country’s military court executed about 223 people, including at least 56 kids, in February as part of a battle against citizens accused of collaborating with ideology militants, said the HRW in its statement based on its own sensor.
In the name of preventing violence, the Burkinabe army has frequently carried out mass atrocities against civilians, according to HRW, urging authorities to look into the massacres.
The HRW’s report was rejected by the nation’s communication council as “peremptory and tendentious” statements against the army that would” suspend” broadcasters ‘ programming due to how they covered the story.
Authorities later ordered internet service providers to block Burkinabe exposure to the BBC, VOA, and Human Rights Watch’s sites and various digital platforms.
In the wake of a local prosecutor’s speech in March that claimed 170 people were killed by unknown assailants in the settlements of Komsilga, Nodin, and Soro, Human Rights Watch launched an investigation.
Burkinabe and another Sahel countries are still at odds with Islamist rebellions that started in neighboring Mali in 2012 and started with organizations like al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Since 2020, there have been numerous uprisings in Mali, Burkinabe, and Niger due to the government ‘ inability to protect citizens.
( With AFP inputs )
