A Malian court has granted provisional release to 11 opposition leaders arrested in June on charges of plotting against the ruling military junta after advocating for a return to civilian governance. Their release on Friday is viewed as a move to ease political tensions in the country, following the controversial appointment of General Abdoulaye Maiga as prime minister.
Since the junta seized power in 2020, Mali has been under military rule, with another coup occurring the following year. The 11 individuals, who were arrested during a time when political activities were banned, were accused of conspiring to overthrow the government after signing a March 2023 statement urging the military to step down and transition back to civilian rule.
The opposition leaders were detained on June 20 during an “illegal” meeting, according to the authorities. The meeting was part of a broader political movement that called for the return of democracy and the restoration of civilian governance in Mali, which has been under military control since the 2020 coup. The Declaration of March 31, signed by various political parties and associations, was a key document in this effort, urging the military junta to relinquish power.
On Friday, Djiguiba Keita, a former Malian minister and member of the opposition Party for National Renaissance (Parena), confirmed the release of the 11 opposition figures. “The 11 comrades of the platform of political parties and associations of the Declaration of March 31 have been free since yesterday,” Keita said. He noted that the release was part of a broader effort to de-escalate the political situation in the country. Keita emphasized that this was a result of ongoing efforts to persuade the government to release opposition figures as part of a process to ease tensions in Mali.
Issa Togo, a member of the Adema PASJ party and former member of Mali’s National Assembly, also welcomed the move. “The 11 are free to resume their political activities and to travel,” Togo stated, further underscoring the importance of political freedoms being restored for these leaders.
Despite the release of the 11 opposition members, other prominent political figures and civil society activists remain in prison. Among them are Issa Kaou N’Djim, the former vice-president of Mali’s National Transitional Council, and economist Etienne Fakaba Sissoko. Both have been vocal critics of the military regimes not only in Mali but also in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, both of which have experienced military coups in recent years. N’Djim and Sissoko have called for a return to civilian rule and greater political freedoms in the region.
Mali’s political climate has become more volatile following the military’s continued grip on power. The junta, led by General Assimi Goïta, has faced increasing pressure from opposition groups, both inside and outside the country, over the postponed 2024 presidential election. On November 2023, General Abdoulaye Maiga was appointed as prime minister, replacing civilian Prime Minister Choguel Maïga, who had been critical of the junta’s actions and the delay of the presidential vote. The appointment of General Abdoulaye Maiga and the ousting of Choguel Maïga further intensified the political friction in the country.
The release of the 11 opposition leaders could signal a shift in Mali’s political dynamics, but it remains unclear whether the junta will engage more broadly with opposition groups to address demands for democratic reforms and the restoration of civilian governance. Despite the political opening, many in Mali and across the region are watching closely to see how the junta responds to ongoing calls for democratic transition and political inclusion.
