One year of detention in Mali for the French journalist Olivier Dubois

A giant portrait of Olivier Dubois projected on the Panthéon, in Paris, on the evening of Monday March 7, 2022, on the initiative of the Reporters Without Borders association.

© Edmond Sadaka/RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

It has been a year to the day that Olivier Dubois was kidnapped and held hostage in Mali.

This French journalist was reporting in Gao, in the North, when he was kidnapped on April 8, 2021. The following month, he appeared in a video in which he explained himself to be in the hands of the Jnim, the Support Group to Islam and Muslims, led by Iyad Ag Ghaly and linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

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Since then, the only good news was the release of a second video, a second proof of life, last month.

In this video, Olivier Dubois also confirmed that he heard the messages sent to him every 8th of the month, for a year, his relatives, on the antenna of RFI.

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RFI's FM broadcast was suspended in Mali three weeks ago by the transitional authorities, after the broadcast of testimonies accusing the Malian army and its Russian auxiliaries of abuses, but it is still possible to receive RFI in Mali in short waves.

Where he is, it is also very likely in this way that Olivier Dubois can hear us.

That's what we hope, and that's what his family also hopes.

Listen to their messages, they are addressed to Olivier Dubois.

Hi Oliver.

There are birthday days that are not fun.

However, I hope you are doing as well as possible.

Your absence is prolonged but I remain hopeful, your ordeal will know a happy ending.

Stay confident, don't let yourself go.

The whole family gives you big big kisses.

André-Georges Dubois, father of Olivier Dubois

David Bache

My brother, pacifist, bon vivant and father of a family, you have overcome challenges without giving up.

You have transformed your life whatever the circumstances.

Keep hope, but also love and peace.

Keep in your heart the hope of better times.

[…] My dearest wish is to rejoice with you in simple things.

With the sisters of heart, create other memories….

Valerye Dubois, sister of Olivier Dubois

David Bache

My son, I cannot forget that you have been deprived of all your rights for a year.

On March 13, you appeared in a one-minute video and I must say it was a breath of fresh air to see you, but I can't forget that your living conditions are difficult.

No matter who we are, it is urgent that our government do what is necessary for you.

Canèle, Benjamin and I are mobilized so that you do not fall into oblivion and get you out of this nightmare.

I love you my son.

Olivier Dubois' mother and his brother-in-law, Benjamin

David Bache

365 days, 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes.

Since your abduction, silence has given way to noise.

Six months ago, the notion of temporality was strongly taught to us, but the clock keeps ticking.

What are the masters of time doing a few days before their presidential election, when on March 13, a second proof of life of you was broadcast on the web, at the right time?

[…] Know that on this April 8, one year after being kidnapped, more than 80,000 people are by your side.

Canèle Bernard, sister of Olivier Dubois

David Bache

Olivier Dubois' family produced a support video to continue to mobilize public opinion, including several personalities such as Samuel Etienne, IAM, Omar Sy, Yvan Attal, Florence Aubenas.

In addition, a march in support of Olivier Dubois is organized this Friday in Metz, in the east of France.

A banner bearing his effigy will also be displayed on the town hall of Montpellier, in the south, it is the twentieth city to join the campaign initiated by Reporters Without Borders.

Finally, in a column published this Friday by the daily

, one of Olivier Dubois' employers, the companies of journalists from many French media are asking the future French president to make the release of Olivier Dubois a priority.

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