Mali Junta Cracks Down: 11 Opposition Leaders Arrested for Demanding Civilian Rule

After President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse of Mali were taken captive by rebellious military forces, marking a significant intensification of the months-long crisis. Neighboring West African nations, France, the European Union, and the African Union vehemently denounced the unexpected uprising, cautioning against any unconstitutional transfer of power in the already precarious country.

On Friday, a coalition of opposition groups reported that eleven of its members were taken into detention by the authorities in the capital city, following a meeting where they had urged a swift transition to civilian rule.

The arrests underscore the military junta’s tightening grip on power.

After staging a coup in 2020, the military junta had initially pledged to hold elections and transfer power back to civilian leadership by the end of March 2024, but subsequently reneged on that promise, indefinitely postponing the elections.

READ ALSO:

Nyasa Big Bullets withdraw from the CECAFA Kagame Cup

Niger’s Supreme Court Removes Immunity of Ousted President Mohamed Bazoum

According to a statement released to the press, the individuals arrested include leaders of political parties and movements that had collectively signed a declaration in March, urging the military junta to relinquish power and transfer control to civilian authorities. These prominent political figures have been vocal in their demands for a return to democratic rule.

It criticised what it said was yet another “Violation of fundamental freedoms and denounced “these arbitrary arrests”.

The individuals were taken into custody on Thursday evening, according to a source familiar with the investigation, after they were caught attending a clandestine meeting in defiance of the current ban on political party activities. The gathering was deemed illegal, leading to the arrests of the political party leaders and activists in attendance.

The ruling military colonels in Mali have consolidated their control by imposing a blanket ban on political activities, stifling dissent, and systematically silencing opposition voices, including journalists, human rights defenders, and critics, creating a climate of fear and repression.