Mali’s escalating suppression of civil society organizations

The Mali government has intensified its crackdown on civil society, with the latest move being the dissolution of a prominent student association. Authorities accused the Association of Students and Pupils of Mali (AEEM) of fomenting violence and clashes in educational institutions. They also claimed that in 2017 and 2018, security forces arrested AEEM members found in possession of weapons, drugs, and unexplained large sums of money.

This dissolution marks the fourth such action in under four months. Earlier bans include the Coordination of Movements, Associations and Supporters of Imam Mahmoud Dicko (CMAS) on March 6, accused of undermining public security by advocating for presidential elections to restore democratic rule. On February 28, the political organization Kaoural Renouveau was dissolved for allegedly making defamatory and subversive statements against the military junta. Last December, the Observatory for Elections and Good Governance, which monitored electoral processes, was banned after its president made remarks deemed likely to disrupt public order.

Since the 2021 military coup, Mali’s junta has systematically suppressed peaceful dissent, political opposition, and media freedom, severely restricting the country’s civic space. On March 4, authorities forcibly disappeared gendarmerie colonel Alpha Yaya Sangaré, who had recently published a book detailing alleged human rights abuses by Mali’s armed forces.

The National Human Rights Commission of Mali (CNDH) issued a statement expressing grave concerns about the serious threats to civic and political rights, particularly freedom of association. It condemned the systematic dissolution and suspension of political parties and associations. Similarly, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Seif Magango, raised alarm over these developments this week.

As Mali approaches three years under unelected leadership, a free and safe civic and political environment for organization, expression, and protest is more critical than ever. Authorities must immediately reinstate dissolved organizations and commit to upholding fundamental freedoms and rights.