Mali: government urged to uphold fundamental rights amid growing repression
As Mali grapples with a deteriorating security landscape, a disturbing surge in fundamental rights violations—including abductions, enforced disappearances, and incitement to violence—targets political opponents and critical voices. International human rights advocates are demanding immediate action from Malian authorities to halt these abuses and restore constitutional order.
Bamako, 7 May 2026. Following the coordinated attacks on 25 and 26 April in Mali, a wave of alarming abductions has swept across Bamako. Prominent political figures and outspoken critics have been forcibly taken by armed, masked assailants traveling in unregistered vehicles. Among them are Me Mountaga Tall, a renowned human rights lawyer and long-time democratic advocate; Moussa Djiré (Abba), leader of the Yiriba 223 movement; and Youssouf Daba Diawara, former coordinator of the Coordination of Movements, Associations and Supporters of Imam Mahmoud Dicko (CMAS). Their current whereabouts and wellbeing remain unknown.
The pattern of these disappearances mirrors tactics previously associated with the National State Security Agency (ANSE), which has faced repeated allegations of involvement in abductions and enforced disappearances since 2021. To date, no judicial inquiries have been launched.
“These enforced disappearances represent a dangerous escalation in the suppression of dissent in Mali. Authorities must immediately disclose the fate of the abducted individuals, ensure their safety, and initiate independent investigations,” warned Drissa Traoré, Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). “Resorting to abductions, enforced disappearances, and hate speech cannot resolve Mali’s security crisis. Combating jihadism does not justify abandoning the rule of law.”
The FIDH has also raised urgent concerns over escalating hate speech and public calls for violence on social media, propagated by activists aligned with military authorities. Human rights defenders in exile, journalists, and their families are facing death threats, smear campaigns, and harassment—including calls for the revocation of their citizenship.
During the funeral of General Sadio Camara, Defence Minister killed in the April 25 attacks, transitional council member Aboubacar Sidiki Fomba publicly urged the “execution” and “stripping of nationality” of critical voices abroad. Despite a prosecutor’s statement condemning online hate speech, no legal action has been taken against those responsible. These violations occur against a backdrop of shrinking civic space since the 2020 and 2021 coups, with political parties dissolved in May 2025 in clear violation of Mali’s Constitution.
The April 25–26 attacks, claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), resulted in civilian and military casualties. The FIDH condemns these acts, as well as the grave human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law attributed to these groups. The FIDH also condemns attacks by alleged JNIM members on civilians in Kori-kori and Gomossogou villages, Bandiagara region, on 6 May. The organisation reiterates its call for all conflict parties to respect human rights and international humanitarian law. It further urges the international community to intensify efforts toward sustainable solutions for the Sahel’s ongoing security and political crisis, prioritising the protection of civilians caught between armed groups and state forces.
The FIDH demands that Malian authorities immediately cease enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and intimidation tactics targeting dissenting voices. It also calls for impartial investigations into public incitement to violence and death threats disseminated online.
