Burundi : an RTNB journalist arrested, heavy silence in local media

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, September 3, 2025 – Journalist Marius Muhirwe, employed in the news department of the Burundi National Radio and Television (RTNB), was arrested on Wednesday in Bujumbura (the commercial capital). He is currently held in a police cell in the city center, according to information gathered by SOS Médias Burundi. The arrest has generated little reaction in the local media, fueling concerns about press freedom in the country.

Marius Muhirwe was arrested while attending a police summons, the second in two days. He reportedly informed his superiors of each of these summonses. Contacted by their superiors, the spokesperson for the Burundian Ministry of Public Security, Pierre Nkurikiye, confirmed the journalist’s arrest. He claims that the latter is being prosecuted for fraud.

According to the police version, Muhirwe received an estimated sum of four million Burundi francs from an individual to whom he allegedly promised a teaching position in the public sector. This same individual reportedly filed a complaint after seeing no fulfillment of the promise. SOS Médias Burundi was unable to verify the veracity of the facts reported by the police.

A revealing media silence

The case could have gone completely unnoticed if it hadn’t been relayed by sources close to the journalist. Despite his status as an employee of a state media outlet, no press release from RTNB was issued on the matter, and local media outlets, for the most part, refrained from covering the story.

This widespread silence raises questions. Journalists interviewed on condition of anonymity referred to it as a “civil case,” using the terminology used by the police to downplay the incident. But for a manager of an independent media outlet contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, this silence is symptomatic of profound self-censorship.

“This is unprecedented self-censorship. It’s like participating in your own demonization. The press is supposed to be the voice of the voiceless. What kind of society are we building if we don’t even dare mention the arrest of a colleague?” he exclaims.

An increasingly difficult climate for the press

Journalists’ rights organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have expressed their concern about this arrest, although they have little information at this time.

The climate in which this case occurs is already tense for the Burundian press. The 2025 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) places Burundi 125th out of 180 countries, a drop of 17 places since 2024. This downgrade reflects a deterioration in journalistic conditions in the country.

Until the courts have ruled on Marius Muhirwe’s guilt or innocence, the presumption of innocence must be respected. But the media silence surrounding his arrest raises profound questions about the state of freedom of expression in Burundi and the ability of journalists to defend themselves collectively, even within their own ranks.