Nine months of captivity for Olivier Dubois. This French journalist was kidnapped in Gao, in northern Mali, on April 8 while he was reporting. A month later, he appeared in a video in which he explained that he was in the hands of the Iyad Ag Ghaly Support Group for Islam and Muslims. Since then, proof of life has been able to reach the families but nothing on a possible release. Neither on the part of the kidnappers, nor on the part of the Malian and French authorities, who ensure that they are mobilized for his release.
Like every 8th of the month, RFI opens its antenna to those close to Olivier Dubois, in the hope that these messages of support can reach him, wherever he is. Déborah Al Hawi Al Masri is the partner of Olivier Dubois and the mother of his two children:
2022 will be our year if you want it, we will be together, I remain confident. The holidays were tough, but we held on thanks to our memories …
Déborah Al Hawi Al Masri, partner of Olivier Dubois
We listen to André-Georges Dubois, Olivier’s father:
For this new year, my dearest wish is that you regain your freedom quickly, patience ignores any form of despair …
André-Georges Dubois, father of Olivier
Part of Olivier Dubois’ family launched a online petition to demand that the release of Olivier Dubois become a “national priority”. His sisters and mother deplore the “ deafening silence From the authorities and ask to be finally received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves le Drian. The petition has collected a thousand signatures since Thursday. Asked by RFI, the Quai d’Orsay recalls that ” in matters of terrorist kidnapping, discretion is an essential condition for the effectiveness of State action “, Ensures that” every effort is made By the French State for the release of Olivier Dubois, and specifies that the journalist’s family has been received by the Crisis Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
► Also to listen: Special dedicated to Olivier Dubois with his partner Déborah Al Hawi Al Masri