Escalating restrictions on civil society in Mali
The Malian government has taken another step to tighten its grip on civil society by dissolving a prominent student association, marking the latest in a string of administrative actions aimed at curbing freedom of association.
The Minister of Territorial Administration accused the Mali Students and Pupils Association (AEEM) of fomenting school and university unrest. Authorities claim that in 2017 and 2018, security forces arrested AEEM members found with weapons, drugs, and unexplained large sums of money.
This dissolution follows the banning of three other organizations within just four months. On March 6, the Coordination of Movements, Associations and Supporters of Imam Mahmoud Dicko—which advocated for democratic elections—was shut down for allegedly undermining public security. On February 28, the political group Kaoural Renouveau faced dissolution over accusations of defamatory and subversive rhetoric against the military regime. And on December 20, the Observatory for Elections and Good Governance, a civil society group monitoring electoral integrity, was banned after its president made statements deemed likely to disturb public order.
Systematic suppression under military rule
Since the 2021 military coup, Mali’s transitional government has intensified repression against peaceful dissent, political opposition, and independent media, severely narrowing the country’s civic space. On March 4, authorities forcibly disappeared Colonel Alpha Yaya Sangaré, a gendarmerie officer who recently published a book detailing alleged abuses by Malian security forces.
The National Human Rights Commission of Mali recently issued a statement warning of serious threats to civil and political rights, including freedom of association. It condemned the systematic dissolution of political parties and associations. Echoing these concerns, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighted similar alarm over the closures of civil society organizations this week.
As Mali approaches three years under unelected leadership, the need for a free and secure civic and political environment—where people can organize, express opinions, and protest—has never been more urgent. Authorities must restore dissolved organizations and commit to upholding fundamental freedoms and rights.
