The Burkinabe government accuses France 24 of broadcasting an "interview with the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)", while the channel has never given him the floor directly, taking care to relate his remarks in the form of a chronicle allowing the necessary distancing and contextualization. In addition, this column confirmed for the first time that the French hostage Olivier Dubois, who has since been released, was being held by AQIM.
France 24 is indignant at the outrageous and defamatory remarks of the Burkinabe government, associating the channel with "a communication agency for these terrorists", who are trying to discredit the channel, whose independence and ethics are no longer to be demonstrated. France 24 recalls its unwavering attachment to the freedom to inform and to the professional work of its journalists.
In addition, the decision to suspend the channel comes without notice and without the procedures provided for in the France 24 broadcasting agreement established by the High Council of Communication of Burkina Faso have been implemented. However, continuous exchanges between the regulatory authority and representatives of France 24 have always allowed for a constructive dialogue. The reason that is used today by the government of the country to justify the suspension of the channel's broadcasting has never been mentioned. In December 2022, the Burkinabe government had already suspended RFI radio under the same exorbitant conditions of common law, exempting itself from any respect for procedures.
In Burkina Faso, France 24 is followed by a third of the population every week and more than 60% of executives and managers. It remains accessible via direct satellite reception via Eutelsat 16 A and SES 5, on YouTube, the Internet and social networks.
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