Press freedom advocates are coming down hard on Burundi, after increasing restrictions prompted the BBC to shut down its bureau in the central African country this week.Burundian authorities have also suspended VOA from operating in the country since March, and have threatened sanctions against Radio France International.Reporters Without Borders said in a statement Wednesday that it is “extremely concerned about the fate of press freedom and pluralism in Burundi in the run-up to next year’s election.””How many independent media will be left when Burundi holds its presidential election in 2020?” the group asked.Ernest Sagaga, the International Federation of Journalists’ head of human rights and safety, told VOA that the British broadcaster’s decision to close “shows that the BBC has now realized Burundi has no will to respect media freedom.” Burundi’s government did not respond to calls from VOA for comment about the BBC decision.BBC, VOA suspensionThe ImbonerakureLast week, the media regulatory body also shut down Iwacu, a weekly newspaper, because of alleged bias and defamation. A journalist working for Iwacu has been missing since July 2016.In another development, President Pierre Nkurunziza recently appointed the head of the ruling party’s youth wing, the Imbonerakure, to be head of the national broadcaster.The Imbonerakure is regarded as a “militia” by the United Nations and is being investigated by the International Criminal Court on suspicion of crimes against humanity. It was used in the 2015 crackdown against opponents of the president’s decision to run for a third term, which critics said was unconstitutional.
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