Burkina Faso Blocks HRW, Denies Killing 223 Villagers, Investigates Claims

Apr 28, 2024, 11:29 AM

The government of Burkina Faso has blocked access to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) website following a report by the organization accusing the country's security forces of war crimes, including the summary execution of 223 villagers. The report, which also suggests possible crimes against humanity, has led to increased scrutiny and media coverage despite the government's efforts to suppress independent media by suspending outlets such as VOA Afrique and BBC Africa. In response to the allegations, Burkina Faso has dismissed the HRW report as 'baseless' but has announced investigations into the killings in the northern regions of the country.