Since seizing power in September 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has presided over a Burkina Faso grappling with severe security challenges. In this climate, journalists and civil society members report fleeing to avoid coercion or what they describe as unjust measures. Three reporters and a legal figure, now based in Côte d’Ivoire’s thriving Burkinabè community, share accounts of hasty, sometimes clandestine departures, leaving uncertain futures in their wake.

Defending press freedom under duress

The exiles cite fears of forced military conscription and professional repercussions as key reasons for leaving. One continues reporting under a pseudonym, while another now mentors aspiring investigative journalists. Many describe receiving online threats and live with constant anxiety over being tracked, even from abroad. International human rights groups have previously flagged concerns about the use of a general mobilization decree targeting dissenting voices.

Awaiting change before returning home

For these individuals, Côte d’Ivoire serves as a temporary sanctuary. Though they yearn to return, they emphasize the need for tangible improvements in political stability and security before considering a homecoming. Their stories reflect the broader struggles of Burkinabè journalists and opposition figures over the past four years—a period marked by government justifications for stringent measures as necessary to combat jihadist threats plaguing the nation for over a decade.