Jihadist attacks, allegations of army abuse and restriction of civil liberties: all this worries the Senegalese Alioune Tine, mandated by the UN. The Malian government denounces a report “ dependent “.
The independent expert on human rights in Mali mandated by the United Nations, the Senegalese Alioune Tine, presented his annual report on Friday before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, in the presence of ministers Malians from Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop, and from Justice, Mahamadou Kassogué.
1277 civilians killed in 2022 is an increase of 118% compared to the previous year. Alioune Tine points to the primary responsibility of jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, but is also concerned about the allegations of abuses against the Malian army and the Russian mercenaries of Wagner, named.
If he calls for the fight against impunity, the human rights expert falls under the “ real progress from the Malian transitional authorities.
” I note the conviction of several people for crimes related to slavery by descent. This is still a first in Mali. I encourage the Malian authorities to step up their efforts to try the alleged perpetrators of other serious human rights abuses. It has been a year since several civilians were reportedly killed during an operation carried out by Malian forces accompanied by Russian military personnel in the village of Moura. »
But the Malian Minister of Justice, Mahamadou Kassogué, denounces a report “ dependent “, who does not ” does not take into account the many efforts of Bamako for human rights and against impunity. ” The commitment is resolved from the government to be subject to no flaws, he replied. Our actions in favor of respect for human rights are only hampered by objective constraints, including the complex nature of the terrorism that my country faces. Prosecutions are systematically initiated whenever credible allegations of human rights violations are brought to the attention of the competent judicial authorities. »
The expert mandated by the United Nations recommends the opening by the International Criminal Court of investigations into the crimes committed in Mali.
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