Burkina Faso’s military rulers have come under fire for suspending Radio Omega, one of the most listened to radio stations in the country for assisting campaigns to return to power ousted Nigerien president, Mohamed Bazoum.
The station was suspended by Communications Minister Rimtalba Ouedraogo on Thursday until further notice. Ouedraogo justified the suspension by saying it was “in the higher interests of the nation.”
The channel featured an interview with Ousmane Abdoul Moumouni, the spokesperson for a newly created Nigerien group calling for President Mohamed Bazoum’s return.
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Ouedraogo stated that Moumouni made “insulting comments” regarding Niger’s new military leadership during an appearance on Radio Omega.
His organization “is clearly campaigning for violence and war against the sovereign people of Niger” and seeks to restore Bazoum “by every means,” he said.
According to Radio Omega, the suspension is an obvious breach of the country’s current laws and an attack on freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
The Radio maintain that it will fight the suspension with “every means of recourse.”
The radio station also said that several people claiming to be supporters of the military regime had made death threats against many of its station managers and journalists.
This ban is considered a continuation of Burkina Faso’s recent crackdown on media outlets critical of the country’s military regime.
