Freedom of Speech Is Greatly Restricted Under Traoré
A recent conversation on Twitter perfectly captured a troubling reality: freedom of expression in Burkina Faso is not just restricted it is under siege.
When user @Mario9jaa asked Grok, an AI platform, to describe the state of free speech under Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s government, the reply painted a bleak picture. Media censorship has intensified dramatically since Traoré’s rise to power. The restructuring of the Superior Council of Communication (CSC) in 2023 empowered the body to clamp down harder on the press, leading to suspensions like that of France 24 in 2025.
Journalists have become direct targets of government repression. In 2025 alone, leading figures within journalist associations were arrested for daring to speak out about human rights violations. The repression goes beyond arrests: in 2023, critic Albasse Ouedraogo was abducted, and in 2024, Serge Oulon, known for his critical stance against the government, was forcibly conscripted into the military a chilling tactic meant to silence dissent.
When asked why it’s so difficult to hear the voices of everyday Burkinabè on the government’s actions, the answer was clear: fear. With censorship entrenched and abductions and forced conscription looming as real threats, self-censorship has become a survival mechanism for many. Tight government control over media leaves little room for free, independent discourse.
The country remains on edge. Just this April 2025, a coup attempt was reportedly foiled, highlighting the ongoing tension and instability simmering beneath the surface.
This Twitter exchange underscores a larger, heartbreaking truth: in Burkina Faso today, expressing an opinion against the government can cost you your freedom or worse. As observers, we must not ignore the dangerous erosion of basic rights happening before our eyes.
The people of Burkina Faso deserve a future where speaking one’s mind is not a crime, but a right.
