Groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organization and other extremist groups “continued to carry out targeted killings, kidnappings, intimidation, death threats, imposition of illegal taxes (Zakat), criminal activities related to illegal gold mining” continued the expert.
These groups are responsible for 57.20% of human rights abuses, he said, presenting a report covering a period from March to the end of December 2021.
But he also declared himself “gravely concerned regarding allegations of serious violations” human rights and humanitarian law attributed to the Malian regular forces. He reported accusations of summary executions, enforced disappearances or acts of torture.
He is “also concerned regarding continued arbitrary arrests and detentions” in the intelligence services, “where people were allegedly tortured”.
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He expressed his “deep concerns regarding shrinking civic space” complained regarding by civil society and part of the opposition. He specifically cited the junta’s decision in mid-March to suspend the broadcast in Mali of French state media RFI and France 24. Authorities blame them for spreading information that the Malian army is involved in abuses once morest civilians. .
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He pointed out that “to refute en bloc” the implicated before having carried out investigations “risk of casting doubt on the international commitment of the Malian authorities in terms of human rights and their political will to fight once morest the cancer of impunity”.
The Mali “reiterates its commitment to respect and ensure respect for human rights despite the challenges of all kinds that assail us”replied an official from the Malian Ministry of Justice in a recorded message.
As for impunity, the authorities “are resolved (to) put an end to it”he said, citing the details of the counter-terrorism trial, but also “the judgment of several cases of offense falling within the jurisdiction of the military courts” or the ongoing review of the code of military justice.
He admitted “slowness” in surveys, but “this situation is not the result of a lack of political will but rather the result of security and material constraints”. He argued the disappearance of state services and the insecurity raging in regions such as the center, one of the main centers of violence.
A report by the UN mission in Mali (Minusma) published following two previous ones indicated that out of 584 civilians killed in 2021, 67 had died during operations by the Malian security forces, including some number of victims of summary or arbitrary executions.
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The Minusma attributes the death of more than half of the 584 civilians killed (331) to radical Islamist groups and that of 122 others to proclaimed community self-defense groups, according to a count made by AFP from these three different reports.
