Mali political activist, Alassane Abba
A prominent opposition figure in Mali has been freed after disappearing for nearly a month in what his family alleges was an enforced disappearance orchestrated by the state’s intelligence services.
Alassane Abba, secretary-general of the now-dissolved Codem party and an outspoken critic of Mali’s ruling junta, was released Thursday after being held incommunicado since May 9. His son, Alhousseini Jannatta Alassane, confirmed the release to The Associated Press, saying Abba was left by the roadside in the capital, Bamako.
“No authority has confirmed their involvement, but we believe the intelligence services were behind the kidnapping,” he said.
Malian intelligence agencies rarely address such allegations, and government officials have not commented on Abba’s detention or release.
Abba was reportedly taken shortly after condemning the country’s deteriorating civic freedoms and the transitional government’s failure to organize elections following the 2021 military coup. His arrest coincided with a wave of pro-democracy protests in Bamako that denounced the junta’s consolidation of power and demanded a return to civilian rule.
Multiple opposition voices remain jailed after speaking out against the military regime.
In May, transitional president Gen. Assimi Goita intensified the crackdown by signing a decree that dissolved all political parties. The move came days after hundreds of citizens rallied in the capital demanding democratic reforms.
Mali, situated in the volatile Sahel region, continues to battle overlapping crises, including spiraling political repression and jihadist insurgencies linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The military has seized power twice since 2020, amid growing discontent and insecurity.
Authorities have ramped up arrests of activists and critics, a trend that watchdogs say reflects a broader rollback of democratic freedoms across West and Central Africa.