Nigeria, March 30 -- The Whistleblowers and Journalists Safety International Centre (WAJSIC) has condemned the crackdown on media freedom and called for the release of "kidnapped" journalists, activists and some prominent members of the public in Burkina Faso.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the chairperson of WAJSIC's governing board, Anas Anas, denounced the ongoing violations of human rights in the West African country under the ruling military junta.

Mr Anas said this wave of repression is profoundly concerning and represents a blatant attack on fundamental freedoms.

He said the current climate in Burkina Faso is marked by a systematic erosion of civil liberties, characterised by increased control over the media and the judiciar...