Mali’s military junta has escalated its crackdown on political opposition and civil society, abolishing multiparty politics and launching a campaign of repression that has left activists detained, disappeared, and silenced, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports.
On May 3, 2025, Mali’s National Transition Council passed a sweeping law banning opposition political meetings, speeches, and organizations—effectively dissolving the country’s multiparty system. The move came just days after nationwide protests demanding a return to civilian rule.
In tandem, the junta has tightened its grip on the media. The media regulator, Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAC), suspended international broadcaster TV5 for what it called “biased” reporting on the protests and “defamation” of the armed forces.
Disappearances and Attacks
The crackdown has extended far beyond the legislative floor. On May 8, opposition leaders Abba Alhassane and El Bachir Thiam vanished without a trace—victims of apparent enforced disappearances. Youth leader Abdoul Karim Traoré was abducted by state security forces on May 11 after speaking out against the abductions and participating in the protests. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Meanwhile, democracy activist Cheick Oumar Doumbia was assaulted on May 10 by unidentified men, just days after protests in which he participated. Pro-junta voices have since threatened activists with violence.
Abdrahamane Diarra, a prominent opposition figure, was detained on May 12, interrogated, and later released. He remains a vocal critic of the party ban.
Legal and Human Rights Violations
These events starkly violate Mali’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which it is a signatory. The Charter guarantees:
- Freedom of association (Article 10), which the new law effectively abolishes.
- Freedom of expression and access to information (Article 9), threatened by media censorship.
- The right to liberty and security of the person (Article 6), systematically violated by enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention.
- The right to participate in government (Article 13), now blocked by the ban on opposition politics.
HRW warns that the junta’s actions mark “dark days” for Mali, closing the door on peaceful political dissent and democratic advocacy. The organization is demanding the immediate release of all those unjustly detained or disappeared and an end to the crackdown on fundamental rights.
HRW’s Call to Action
“The military junta’s complete closure of political space and persecution of critics is a direct attack on Malians’ fundamental rights,” said HRW. “Mali must urgently reverse course, release the detained, and respect its obligations under the African Charter.”
As Mali’s democratic future hangs in the balance, the junta’s repressive tactics threaten to push the country deeper into authoritarian rule.
