Two Journalists Kidnapped In Burkina Faso Last Year Freed

Two journalists abducted in Burkina Faso more than a year ago have been freed and reunited with their families, according to relatives and press freedom groups.

The journalists Adama Bayala of private broadcaster BF1 and Alain Traoré, editor-in-chief of Omega Media were taken in June and July 2024, respectively. Their release was confirmed on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, by family members who said both men had returned home safely.

Bayala, who appeared visibly thin, was said to be “doing well,” relatives told reporters. Details surrounding their captivity and eventual release remain unclear.

The case highlights the growing crackdown on press freedom in Burkina Faso under the country’s ruling military junta. Authorities have been accused of using a controversial mobilization decree to forcibly conscript journalists and critics into the armed forces as part of its fight against jihadist groups.

Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomed the release but noted that Atiana Serge Oulon, managing editor of the investigative newspaper L’Événement, remains missing after his disappearance last year.

Burkina Faso, one of the Sahel nations hardest hit by jihadist violence, has seen a surge in restrictions on independent media since the military seized power in 2022.