Burkina Faso suspends top radio station over junta reference

DDM News

Burkina Faso’s government has suspended one of the country’s most prominent radio stations for referring to its military regime as a “junta.”

Diaspora digital media (DDM) gathered that Radio Omega’s broadcasting license was revoked on Saturday, August 2, 2025, by the Higher Council for Communication (CSC), the national media regulatory body.

The suspension will last for a period of three months, effectively silencing one of the country’s few remaining independent broadcasters.

Radio Omega is barred from airing content on all platforms, including traditional radio frequencies, its website, and social media channels.

The CSC stated that the suspension was triggered by a Facebook post published by the station on July 30, 2025.

According to the regulator, the post included language that was “malicious and discourteous” toward the Burkinabe authorities.

Specifically, the CSC objected to the station’s use of the term “Burkinabe junta” while reporting on a protest in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The protest was organized to commemorate a Burkinabe influencer who reportedly died while in custody in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

In the controversial report, Radio Omega stated that “the Burkinabe junta routinely accuses Ivory Coast of harboring opponents and fomenting plots.”

The CSC declared that such phrasing was not only factually incorrect but also demeaning and disrespectful.

Officials claimed the term “junta” implies illegitimacy and suggests contempt for the military leadership in place.

Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a military coup in September 2022, media freedom in Burkina Faso has steadily declined.

Several foreign media outlets, including France’s LCI, RFI, and France 24, have already been banned from operating in the country.

Local journalists have also reported harassment, surveillance, and threats, with some forced into exile.

Observers note that Radio Omega’s suspension fits into a broader crackdown on dissent and independent journalism under Traoré’s rule.

The junta has justified its actions by citing national security and the need for media “responsibility” during a time of crisis.

However, press freedom advocates argue that such measures are meant to suppress criticism and isolate the country from external scrutiny.

Radio Omega is one of Burkina Faso’s most widely listened-to stations and has often provided coverage critical of government policies.

Its sudden suspension has sent shockwaves through West Africa’s media community and drawn condemnation from international watchdogs.

Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have called for the immediate reinstatement of the station’s license.

They described the CSC’s decision as a “clear violation of press freedom” and a dangerous step toward full authoritarianism.

Analysts fear that the junta’s ongoing media repression could stoke further unrest in a country already plagued by insurgency and political instability.

Burkina Faso has been struggling with jihadist violence for over a decade, with thousands killed and millions displaced.

The military regime under Traoré has promised to restore order and hold elections, but no clear roadmap has been released.

In the meantime, opposition voices, civil society groups, and independent media continue to face increasing pressure.

The case of Radio Omega has become a symbolic flashpoint in the larger battle for democratic space in the Sahel region.

Critics argue that silencing journalists will only worsen tensions and disconnect the government from the concerns of its people.

It remains unclear whether the station will pursue legal action or seek international intervention.

As of now, its broadcast towers are silent, its website inactive, and its newsroom under lockdown.

The world watches as yet another African media voice is forced into silence by those who fear the power of truth.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook