Journalists from the State-owned media are protesting the excessive censoring and editorial interference by the government and State agencies.

The journalists staged a demonstration on July 16, 2013, in front of the premises of the Ministry of Communications located in Ouagadougou, the capital, to voice against the censoring of articles by State authorities.

The journalists who are from the Burkina Radio, Burkina Television, Sidwaya Publishers, and Independent Union of Information and Culture Workers (SYNTATIC) are angered by the "long practice" of government's interference in their work and have sounded a caution to the government to cease these unconstitutional practices.

According to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)'s monitor in the country, the demonstration was triggered by a recent directive from Adama Barro, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Communications, to edit a final news story on a June 29 <http://www.mediafound.org/en/?p=4281> -opposition demonstration, which was marred by some police officers.

Following the order, the Ministry's-edited story came without images and interview extracts of the opposition leader and organiser of the demonstration, Zéphirin Diabré, the monitor reported.

According to the journalists, "henceforth they will not subject themselves to the dictates of politicians since it is against the rules of ethics and professionalism." Government's interference has caused non-state institutions and individuals from inviting the State-owned media to cover their events, they said.

The Ministry of Communications has since denied these allegations.

The MFWA stands in solidarity with the journalists to demand that the Burkinabe authorities desist from the practice of censoring the media as it is against the country's Constitution (Article 8) which guarantees "the freedom of the press."