The leader of ‘s military junta, , has long been accused of not being genuinely interested in a “return to democracy.”
Goita on Thursday in the restive West African nation. The ban applies “until further notice and across the entire country” and affects “political parties and associations with a political character.”
Government spokesperson Abdoulaye Maiga justified the move in a statement read on state television on Wednesday night, citing the need to maintain “public order.”
Media silenced
Also on Thursday, Mali’s high authority for communication ordered all media — whether television stations, radio stations, newspapers or online services — to on the activities of political parties or associations.
Journalist associations, civil society representatives, and NGOs, as well as opposition parties, protested against the latest measures by the Malian leadership.
The president of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM) party, Housseini Amion Guindo, called for “civil disobedience until the fall of the illegal and illegitimate regime.”
Mohamed Cherif Kone, a judge who was dfismissed after rebelling against the junta, also called for civil disobedience.
“For us Malians, allowing this dictatorship to prosper is not an option,” he wrote on various social media platforms. The government has been “disqualified” to speak on behalf of Mali since March 26, 2024, Kone added
Deep concerns about media restrictions
The sharply criticized the directive.
Mali’s junta must “immediately” lift the suspension of political parties’ and media activities, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Thursday on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The UN is “deeply concerned” about the decree.
On April 1, more than 80 political parties and civil groups in a joint statement called for presidential elections and a swift end to military rule.
Under pressure from regional leaders, Mali’s junta, which came to power in a 2020 coup, had previously pledged to hold elections and hand over power to a civilian government by March 26. These promises, however, were not kept.
Mali has been ruled by military juntas since coups in 2020 and 2021. The deteriorating security situation is exacerbated by a humanitarian and political crisis. Opposition voices have been largely suppressed since then.
Withdrawal of Western troops
Since the coup, the Malian army has systematically turned away from former European partners like its and instead allied itself with .
France in August. Germany’s military, the Bundeswehr, was still involved in a UN stabilization mission (MINUSMA) there at the time, but .
Germany’s Defense Ministry said roughly 20,000 Bundeswehr military personnel had served in Mali over the years.
Mali’s opposition: ‘very concerned’
Most Malian NGOs, such as the platform “Benbere Mali,” expressed shock over the decision. The head of this institution, that connects young bloggers across the country, Abdoulaye Guindo, looks pessimistically to the future.
