Unchecked presidential mandate sparks controversy
In July, General Assimi Goïta, who has led the junta since 2021, signed into law a measure granting himself an open-ended presidential mandate, effectively consolidating his control over the country. “These legal changes effectively close the door on any democratic elections in Mali for the foreseeable future,” Volker Türk emphasized. “They violate citizens’ fundamental rights to participate in public affairs, vote, and stand for election in genuine periodic elections.”
These developments follow the earlier dissolution of political parties in May, a decision now under review by the country’s Constitutional Court.
Civil society under siege
The crackdown extends beyond political structures, with prominent civil society figures and former officials facing detention. Among them are anti-corruption activist Clément Dembélé and former Prime Minister Choguel Maïga. “The surge in arbitrary detentions based on vague accusations of undermining state credibility—solely for expressing dissent—is deeply alarming,” the UN High Commissioner warned. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained, demanding an end to what he described as the “weaponization of the law against peaceful dissent.”