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Vol 60 No 13

Published 28th June 2019


Burkina Faso

Gag on security reporting

Burkina Faso's National Assembly voted in a new law on 21 June heavily restricting freedom of speech. Human rights organisations and press freedom advocates are up in arms. Under Article 312 of the new penal code, sanctions will apply for acts aimed at 'demoralising the Forces de défense et de sécurité' (FDS, the national army). It also promises to punish any action that could 'compromise' FDS anti-terrorist operations, and criminalises the distribution of images and video of a terrorist incident in the absence of prior official authorisation. Fines of up to 10 million CFA francs ($17,000) and jail terms of between one and five years could be imposed.

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