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A senior opposition figure in Mali, Abba Alhassane, has been released after being detained for nearly a month in what rights groups have described as an escalating campaign of political repression by the military-led government.
Alhassane, who serves as the general secretary of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM) party, was forcibly taken from his home in the capital, Bamako, on May 8 by masked men reportedly identifying themselves as members of the gendarmerie, according to Human Rights Watch. His release was confirmed on Friday by both his family and party representatives.
“He is in good health,” CODEM member Mamadou Sangare said, expressing hope that any potential charges against him would be formally dismissed. However, no specific legal details were disclosed.
On the same day as Alhassane’s disappearance, another opposition figure, El Bachir Thiam of the Change party, was also abducted in the town of Kati, just outside Bamako. Thiam remains in detention, with no official update on his status.
Mali’s junta, led by General Assimi Goita, has faced growing criticism for its increasingly authoritarian stance since seizing power through coups in 2020 and 2021.
In a significant move in May, the transitional authorities ordered the dissolution of all political parties and associations, citing the need to maintain public order. They also prohibited all forms of political gatherings.
This decree was immediately challenged in court by various parties, including CODEM. However, legal attempts to overturn the ruling have so far been unsuccessful, with several courts in Bamako rejecting the appeals.
The political groups have since vowed to continue their legal challenge, stating that they have already approached the Supreme Court.
Earlier in May, a coalition of opposition parties defied the junta’s restrictions and staged a rare protest in Bamako, drawing several hundred demonstrators. Both CODEM and the Change Party were among the organisers. In response, the authorities suspended the activities of the parties involved, citing threats to public order.
The fate of other detained opposition figures, including Thiam, remains uncertain as political tensions persist in Mali.
