Mali

In terms of freedom of expression and democratic and media pluralism, Mali is undeniably today one of the leading countries in francophone Africa. In this year marking the 50th anniversary of Mali's independence, the country's media pool includes 300 private FM radio stations, and about 50 newspapers and periodicals. This incredible blossoming of the Malian press is due to the ease of launching newspapers, the freedom of expression they enjoy, and the liberalization of the airwaves.

Your Excellencies: As you gather in Paris for festivities that celebrate your nations’ 50 years of independence, we, the undersigned African press freedom advocates petition for your public commitment to a free, vibrant, and self-sustaining press as a cornerstone of the development of francophone Africa in the next five decades.

New York, July 31, 2007—A few days after being assaulted and threatened by a parliamentarian-elect, a reporter in southern Mali has filed a complaint in a local court.

Local politician Mamadou Sinayoko attacked reporter Adama Coulibaly, a presenter at community Radio Kafo-Kan in the southern city of Bougouni, 462 miles (743 km) south of the capital Bamako, on July 23. Sinayoko kicked Coulibaly in the ribs, knocking him out of his chair, said Radio Kafokan director Seydou Koné. Coulibaly was not seriously injured, but complained of pain after the assault, Koné said.

New York, June 26, 2007—Five Malian journalists who covered a high school essay assignment—and the teacher who commissioned the lesson—were convicted today of insulting President Amadou Toumani Toure, according to news reports and local journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the verdicts, which stemmed from a classroom exercise about an imaginary presidential sex scandal, and called for the convictions to be reversed on appeal.

New York, June 21, 2007—Authorities in the capital Bamako have jailed five journalists in a week—the first arrests in the country since 2003—in the aftermath of an article about a high school essay assignment concerning an imaginary presidential sex scandal.

Director Hameye Cissé of the private weekly Le Scorpion, and directors Birama Fall of Le Républicain, Alexis Kalambry of Les Echos, and Sambi Touré of Info-Matin were jailed in Bamako’s central prison on Wednesday on charges of complicity in an offense against the head of state, according to news reports. The journalists were arrested after their papers reprinted a June 1 story by Info-Matin editor Seydina Oumar Diarra, who was jailed last week.

New York, June 15, 2007— A state prosecutor in Mali jailed a journalist for an article about a high school essay assignment in which the students were asked to write about a fictional sex scandal involving a president and his mistress.

Seydina Oumar Diarra, an editor for the private daily newspaper Info-Matin, was questioned for more than three hours, charged with offense to a head of state, and taken to the central prison in the capital of Bamako on Wednesday in connection with a June 1 article, editor-in-chief Sékouba Samaké told CPJ. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of up to 600,000 CFA francs (US$1,200). The teacher was jailed on the same charges.

New York, March 12, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned criminal defamation convictions handed down last week by a court in the capital, Bamako, against two journalists for a December 2006 story critical of a government minister.

Director Diaby Makoro Camara and Editor Oumar Bouaré of the private monthly Kabako were sentenced to four-month suspended terms, fined 50,000 CFA francs (US$100), and ordered to publish the court decision, defense lawyer Amadou Tiéoulé Diarra told CPJ. They plan an appeal, he said.

New York, March 12, 2007—A private radio station in the central town of Markala was given an eviction notice by authorities last week, after airing broadcasts critical of President Amadou Toumani Touré ahead of next month’s elections.

Radio Jamakan, housed in the government-owned complex of Office du Niger (ON), an agency managing irrigation projects, was ordered to “surrender the ON premises by March 31,” according to private daily Les Echos in the capital Bamako. The action was linked to the station’s March 3-4 broadcasts of a conference of the FDR party, the main opposition group challenging Touré’s second-term bid in the April 29 presidential election, local journalists told CPJ.