The military junta in Burkina Faso has secretly detained at least 40 people, including prominent journalist Atiana Serge Oulon. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released a report detailing these accusations. The group says forced military conscription is being used as a cover for these illegal detentions.
RSF findings suggest Oulon and others are not fighting Islamist militants as claimed. Instead, they are held in secret facilities within the capital, Ouagadougou. This alleged practice highlights a serious human rights crisis under Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s leadership. Oulon previously edited the newspaper L’Événement. Armed men took him from his home in June 2024. The government then said he was conscripted into the army. RSF now disputes this claim, stating his family does not know his whereabouts. RSF journalists Haïfa Mzalouat and Camille Montagu noted his place is neither on the front lines nor in a secret prison. This points to a deliberate deception by the authorities.
Burkina Faso faces a challenging security landscape. The nation has been battling an Islamist insurgency for a decade. In April 2023, a “general mobilisation” decree granted President Traoré broad powers. These powers allow him to requisition people and resources for national defence. The government insists these actions are legal patriotic duties. However, RSF’s report suggests a different reality. The group’s evidence indicates the junta’s inner circle directly manages clandestine detention sites. A security officer reportedly warned released detainees not to speak about their ordeal.
Evidence described in the RSF report comes from former detainees. They shared harrowing accounts of a makeshift prison in Ouagadougou. Oulon and up to 40 others were reportedly held in a heavily guarded house in late 2025. These holding sites operate outside the legal justice system. Witnesses described sleeping on bare floors. They also spoke of drinking toilet water. Guards allegedly subjected detainees to systematic physical abuse using ropes and tree branches. This abuse occurred without legal oversight or recourse.
Oulon’s troubles reportedly began after an investigation he published in 2022. This investigation accused an army captain of embezzlement. RSF asserts his detention is direct retaliation for his reporting. The organisation demands his immediate and unconditional release. Oulon was reportedly a target of the junta long before his abduction. The crackdown aligns with a broader suppression of media and civil society. On May 5, 2026, the government banned French television channel TV5 Monde. It accused the broadcaster of disinformation. Authorities also dissolved around 200 associations and civic groups. Human rights monitors see these actions as closing independent civic space.
The military government has repeatedly accused France of destabilising activities. This comes after bilateral military agreements were terminated. French troops withdrew in early 2023. Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, forms the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This alliance has shifted security partnerships towards Russia. The Burkinabè Ministry of Communication and its Accra embassy did not immediately respond to queries. Joy News will update this report if reactions are received.