In a move that has drawn sharp criticism from press freedom advocates, more than forty journalists from both public and private media outlets in Burkina Faso have recently completed a six-day military training program. Dubbed an ‘immersion patriotic’ exercise, the initiative was organized by the Ministry of Security at the Police Academy in Pabré, situated roughly 20 kilometers from Ouagadougou. This unprecedented requirement, enforced by the military-led government under Captain Ibrahim Traoré, reflects the broader war effort against jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaïda and the Islamic State, which have been destabilizing the country for over a decade.

A video shared on social media by the national broadcaster RTB captured the forty-four participating journalists—men and women alike—dressed in military fatigues and holding rifles.

Speaking to the assembled group, the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, posed a pointed question: ‘Will you be patriotic and professional journalists?’ Standing at attention, the journalists responded in unison: ‘Affirmative.’ The minister followed up with a stern warning: ‘A professional journalist who lacks patriotism poses a threat to their country.’ He further argued that ‘a professional and patriotic journalist who remains unengaged is nothing more than a passive spectator in a moment when the most defining chapters of their nation’s history are being written.’

According to government officials, including Lassina Traoré, Director-General of the Police Academy, the training aims to ‘instill in journalists an understanding of the operational realities and core values that guide the nation’s defense and security forces daily.’

The initiative has triggered immediate concern among press freedom organizations. Sadibou Marong, Director of Reporters Without Borders’ sub-Saharan Africa bureau, condemned the move, stating it sends ‘a new and deeply troubling signal for press freedom.’ He emphasized that ‘journalists are not soldiers and should not be repurposed as mouthpieces for war efforts, dressed in military attire and bearing arms.’

This mandatory military immersion for journalists is part of a broader political agenda under Captain Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup d’état with the stated goal of reclaiming national sovereignty. Notably, a similar military training requirement was imposed last year on high school students sitting their final exams.

This temporary conscription of the media occurs against a backdrop of intensified pressure on both local and international outlets. Several outlets have faced outright suspension by the transitional authorities, while human rights groups report that scores of journalists critical of the junta have been forcibly recruited and deployed to the frontlines. The case of journalist Serge Oulon, who has been held in detention since his abduction in Ouagadougou two years ago, underscores the mounting tensions.