Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the suspension of foreign media access in Burkina Faso.

The UK opposes the recent decision of the Burkinabe government to suspend international media outlets, including the BBC and the Guardian, following their coverage of a Human Rights Watch report which alleged the authorities had been involved in attacks on civilians in Burkina Faso. On 29 April, the UK and USA issued a joint statement condemning the alleged violence against civilians and the media suspensions. We are clear that societies are strengthened, not threatened, by well-informed public and strong, independent media. We will continue to raise our concerns on media freedom and democratic space with authorities in Burkina Faso.