According to Alioune Tine, this mission in Mali took place in a tense contextmarked by shrinking civic space, attacks on human rights defenders and civil society.
He asked the Malian authorities to open the civic and democratic space and to strengthen the fight once morest impunity, while noting a slight decrease in human rights violations in the last quarter of 2022.
Wagner
On the Wagner file, Alioune Tine explains that he has collected testimonies according to which men from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner took part in military operations and committed abuses. ” The populations on the spot who testified speak effectively of the Wagner group, on the arbitrary detentions, on the exactions, on the thefts. All this, we have heard and we have also testified to the Malian authorities. “, he told RFI.
According to the UN expert, the Malian authorities have said that they will open investigations and find out ». « It’s already a progress “, he notes. NOW, ” with the geopolitical polarization that we are experiencing, with the position taken by the Malians in relation to the Russians, that leads us a little bit into a kind of cold war which often prevents each other from seeing what is called “the gray””, tempers Mr. Tine.
« Facts »
« We do try to stick to the facts, and of course, when it comes to human rights violations, to express it to the authorities. It appears to be the first time, at least, that the authorities have pledged to open an investigation into this matter, with what they themselves call “our Russian partners”, “he added.
The Malian authorities, they deny the presence of Wagner and speak of military instructors.