By John Ikani
Mali Military leaders have launched a procedure to suspend broadcasts by French state-funded international RFI radio and France 24 television, accusing the news outlets of reporting “false allegations” of abuse by the Malian army.
A statement issued by spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said the allegations were made by the head of the United Nations rights commission Michelle Bachelet and rights group Human Rights Watch, and then reported in news reports by RFI and France 24.
Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday that Malian soldiers were responsible for killing at least 71 civilians since early December.
The Government in Bamako “categorically rejects these false accusations against the courageous FAMA (Malian Armed Forces),” the statement read in part.
It went on to note that the junta is “initiating proceedings… to suspend broadcasts by RFI and France 24… until further notice.”
The European Union lashed the ban as “unacceptable” and said the accusations on which it was based were “unfounded.”
“By attacking the freedom of the press, the freedom to inform and to be informed, the junta is continuing and confirming that it is pushing ahead regardless,” foreign policy spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said in Brussels.
The Mali junta has staged two coups since August 2020. It said in the statement that what it called media hype “was a premeditated strategy aimed at destabilising the political transition, demoralise the Malian people and discredit the Malian army.”
The two outlets were still on air in Mali on Thursday morning. The junta did not give details of the procedure, or say when broadcasts would be suspended.
France’s AFP news agency previously reported the suspension had already taken effect.
France Medias Monde, the state-owned holding company that counts France 24 and RFI among its subsidiaries is yet to react to the developments.
