Mali journalist detained after anti-junta remarks at Pan-African Media Forum

A Malian journalist was placed in detention on Monday following a court summons, days after he openly criticised the ruling junta during a media forum in Bamako.

Chahana Takiou, the publishing director of the Malian biweekly newspaper ’22 September’, had been summoned by the prosecutor of the cybercrime unit on Monday afternoon after his critical statements against the junta at the Pan-African Media Forum, which Bamako hosted from 3 to 6 June.

“Journalist Chahana Takiou has been placed under a detention warrant for ‘undermining the credit of the State through the judicial institution’,” a judicial source said on condition of anonymity on Monday evening. The source indicated his trial is scheduled for 27 July.

Family members of Mr Takiou confirmed the detention.

“There is no peace dynamic in Mali. You arrest journalists and instead of judging them under the press regime and press offence laws in Mali, you apply the cybercrime law,” Mr Takiou had declared during the forum, in a panel moderated by Idrissa Hamidou Touré, prosecutor of a Bamako court.

In a statement on Monday evening, the Maison de la Presse in Mali expressed its “incomprehension” and “deep concern” following the journalist’s incarceration.

“The Maison de la Presse and professional media organisations firmly condemn this detention warrant, which tarnishes the image of the judiciary, the press and (our) country,” the statement said, calling it “a flagrant and serious attack on freedom of opinion and the press”.