Human rights crisis in Mali: a detailed overview of 2025

The year 2025 in the Republic of Mali has been marked by a severe erosion of fundamental freedoms, particularly the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. Political opponents and civil society members have faced arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and unlawful detentions. Government forces, allied militias, and armed groups have been implicated in illegal attacks and killings of civilians, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Additionally, multiple cities have been subjected to crippling blockades, while the education sector has borne a heavy toll—over 2,036 schools remained closed due to ongoing conflict.

Political and security backdrop in Mali

The nation’s political landscape has remained volatile. Following the collapse of a peace process boycotted by multiple political parties, civil society groups, and certain armed factions, authorities introduced the National Charter for Peace and Reconciliation in February. This initiative aimed to restore stability, though its effectiveness has been widely questioned.

In April, the military-led transition government extended its mandate by five years, prolonging a period of instability that began after the 2020 coup d’état. Security partnerships have also shifted: in June, the Wagner Group was replaced by the Africa Corps, a Russian state-controlled military entity, under a bilateral security agreement with Mali.

August brought further turmoil as authorities claimed to have foiled a coup attempt, leading to the arrest of several military officers and a French diplomat, accused of ties to French intelligence services. In September, Mali formally announced its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a decision that raised concerns among international observers.

Systematic repression of civil and political rights

The decision to dissolve all political parties in early 2025 served as a stark symbol of the regime’s tightening grip on dissent. When citizens took to the streets in Bamako to protest, security forces responded with excessive violence, using live ammunition and arbitrary detentions to suppress demonstrations.

Several high-profile figures became targets of enforced disappearances. On March 14, Alou Badra Sacko, coordinator of the “Appel du 20 février” movement and president of the civil society group Touche pas à mon argent, was abducted in central Bamako by masked gunmen. Sacko, known for advocating against mobile money transaction taxes, was held in secret detention until his release on May 24.

On May 8, El Bachir Thiam, leader of the Yelema Party and a vocal opponent of the political dissolution and transition extension, was kidnapped from his home. After international pressure—including a call for his immediate release by the UN Human Rights Council—he was freed on September 26. That same day, Alhassane Abba, Secretary-General of the Convergence pour le développement du Mali, was also abducted by men posing as gendarmes. He was released without charge on June 5.

Arbitrary arrests and torture of activists

Arbitrary detentions have become a common tactic to silence dissent. In March, the UN Human Rights Council demanded the release of three detained activists—Moulaye Baba Haïdara, Mahamoud Mohamed Mangane, and Amadou Togola—who had been tortured in custody since 2023. They were charged with crimes including “undermining state security” and “damaging national unity.”

Former Prime Minister Moussa Mara was arrested in August after posting on X (formerly Twitter) that he would “fight by all means” for the rights of detained dissidents. Convicted of “damaging state credibility” and “opposing legitimate authority,” he was sentenced to one year in prison in October.

Anti-corruption activist Clément Dembele has remained in detention despite a court ruling in April to drop charges of threatening the president and his family. The UN again called for his unconditional release in August, but as of late 2025, he remains imprisoned.

Attacks and abductions by armed groups in Mali

Armed factions have continued to target civilians, using violence to enforce control over key regions. In February, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel (ISGS) ambushed a civilian convoy near the village of Kobié, close to Gao, killing 34 people, including several under military escort.

In May, civil society leader Sidi Barka was abducted in Ménaka by ISGS militants. Local reports confirmed his body was found outside the city in August. Later that month, Ousmane Kampo, mayor of Konna in the Mopti region, was kidnapped from his farm by members of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and released on October 4.

In August, fighters from the Macina Katiba launched a deadly assault on Farabougou (Dogofry commune), killing civilians and triggering mass displacement. The same month, Modibo Kimbiri, mayor of Dogofry, and his driver were shot dead by traditional hunters between Diabaly and Dogofry.

The brutality culminated on November 6 in Echell (Tombouctou region), where armed men abducted Mariam Cissé, a prominent social media personality. The following day, she was taken to Tonka, executed, and her body left in a public square.

Military and allied forces implicated in war crimes

Government-aligned forces have been accused of serious violations of international humanitarian law, including extrajudicial killings and torture. On March 16, a drone strike by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) killed at least 10 civilians during a market day in Ejdeïr, Tombouctou region.

On April 12, FAMa and Wagner-linked forces detained over 100 men—primarily from the Fulani community—at Sebabougou market in Kayes. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at least 60 were taken to the Kwala military camp in Koulikoro, where they were tortured and later executed. Their bodies were discovered a week later.

On May 12, Malian soldiers and Dozo militiamen arrested 23 to 27 men at Diafarabé’s weekly market. Blindfolded and bound, the victims were transported by pirogue to the opposite riverbank, executed, and buried in mass graves. Despite promises of an investigation, no further details have been released.

Economic and social rights under siege

The GSIM has intensified its blockade strategy, cutting off access to multiple cities including Gossi, Léré, and Diafarabé. These restrictions have violated critical rights such as food security and freedom of movement. In July, the group extended its embargo to Kayes and Nioro du Sahel, targeting fuel shipments from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire and disrupting supply routes across western and central Mali.

The collapse of education in Mali

The education crisis has deepened dramatically. By June, 2,036 schools—nearly double the number in June 2024—were non-operational due to insecurity, leaving 618,000 children without access to education. The Kidal region was the hardest hit, with 63% of children out of school, reflecting the severe humanitarian toll of the conflict.