Mali: Bar Association denounces 'enforced disappearance' of journalist Aliou Touré

2023-04-10T21:24:09.249Z

Highlights: The editor-in-chief of the newspaper Le Démocrate has not given any sign of life since April 6. Many sources fear his abduction by the Malian intelligence services. Malian Bar Association denounces 'enforced disappearance' of journalist Aliou Touré. Media crisis unit created after disappearance says it has decided to "take action" for his "safe return" and to "guarantee respect for the freedom of expression of the media and the protection of journalists"

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper Le Démocrate has not given any sign of life since Thursday, April 6. Many sources fear his abduction by the Malian intelligence services.

Mali: Bar Association denounces 'enforced disappearance' of journalist Aliou Touré

Aliou Touré, editor-in-chief of the Malian newspaper "Democrat", has not given any sign of life since April 6, 2023. © Facebook screenshot

Text by: David Baché

1 min

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper Le Démocrate has not given any sign of life since Thursday, April 6. Many sources fear his abduction by the Malian intelligence services.

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For the Malian Bar Association, the case of Aliou Touré "falls within the legal qualification of 'person in a situation of enforced disappearance'", contrary to the Malian Constitution, the Declaration of Human Rights or the African Charter on Human Rights. The Mali Bar Association "therefore urges the State to comply with its commitments" and recalls that "any person deprived of liberty" may be "kept only in officially recognized places of detention and must be brought before a competent magistrate within a period provided for by the Constitution of Mali".

These terms are carefully weighed since they only remind the transitional authorities of basic principles of Malian law. And this while many fear – or think they know – that the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Le Démocrate could be detained by the Malian services of State Security.

Aliou Touré is both a journalist and administrative secretary of the Collective for the Defence of the Republic of Ras Bath, a radio commentator currently imprisoned and charged with "undermining the credit of the State" (after stating that Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga had been "assassinated", without specifying by whom). The former prime minister died in custody a year ago. The last time Aliou Touré appeared publicly, he was participating in a press conference for the liberation of Ras Bath.

The media crisis unit created after the disappearance of Aliou Touré said in a statement on Monday that it had decided to "take action" for his "safe return", and to "guarantee respect for the freedom of expression of the media and the protection of journalists".

Mali: Bar Association denounces 'enforced disappearance' of journalist Aliou Touré

Mali: Bar Association denounces 'enforced disappearance' of journalist Aliou Touré

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