UN experts have called on Malian authorities to immediately release activist Clement Mamadou Dembele, detained since November 2023. Dembele, an academic and anti-corruption campaigner, faced accusations of threatening Mali’s junta chief and president, General Assimi Goita, via social media. An independent forensic analysis, however, found that the voice in the audio message was not Dembele’s, casting doubt on the allegations.
Following this, a judge from Mali’s National Cybercrime Unit dismissed the case, although prosecutors have since filed an appeal against the decision. Since seizing power through coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali’s military rulers have intensified pressure on critics, opposition figures, and civil society.
UN-appointed experts stressed the case reflects “persistent and escalating human rights violations” against opposition members, journalists, and human rights defenders in Mali. A court order authorizing Dembele’s release was issued, yet he remains imprisoned, the UN experts noted, despite their advisory role on human rights matters.
Experts warned that Dembele’s trial and continued detention could represent a “misuse of the judicial system” by Mali’s government, undermining rule of law. The case has drawn international attention, highlighting the fraught landscape for civil liberties and judicial independence under Mali’s current military administration.
