Olivier Dubois was released after almost two years of captivity in Mali. The relatives and supporters of the French journalist kidnapped in April 2021 in Gao expressed their joy and relief at the announcement of his release on March 20, 2023.
” I wanted to pay tribute to Niger and its know-how in this type of delicate mission, and to pay tribute to France too, as well as to all those who have allowed me to be here today. It’s short, I have to come to my senses, sorry! Olivier Dubois smiles but struggles a little to find the words this March 20, 2023 in Niamey, when his release after two years of captivity has just been announced to the whole world.
His father, André-Georges Dubois, had received a call on the release of the French journalist, the same morning. ” It is a very great joyhe confides, relieved, at the microphone of David Bache. In my last message (support on RFI, Editor’s note) I said that with the arrival of spring, I hoped his ordeal would come to an end. It happened with spring! » He laughs, then adds, more seriously: We were waiting for the news, but we don’t expect to hear it suddenly like that. I saw a photo of him in Niamey. He seems to be, I’m not going to say well, but the best he can be. »
“I spent a good half hour crying and having to recover my spirits”
Some of his supporters have struggled to express themselves after these 711 days of waiting where the fate of the reporter was uncertain. ” I feel between two worldsslips Marc De Boni, spokesperson for the Support Committee for the release of journalist Olivier Dubois, at the microphone ofAmelie Tulet. It’s quite special because it’s a crusade in which we commit ourselves body and soul with no prospect of an end, without even the promise of a happy outcome and we are so fully focused on the objective of the return of the person that was taken away from us that when it happens, we lose our means. I do not hide from you that I spent a good half hour first crying and then having to recover my spirits “.
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Sonia Delesalle-Stolper, head of the international service of Release, newspaper for which Olivier Dubois worked, recounted the joy in the premises of the French daily. “ Everyone cheered as confirmation of his release was givenshe says at the microphone of Amélie Tulet. Big applause. It happened just before the start of the day’s editorial conference. So, everyone was present and here we are, we are all very very happy. It’s a mixture of disbelief because we’ve been hoping for quite a while and we’ve had quite a few moments where we said to ourselves ‘that’s it, it’s very close’ and it doesn’t did not pass “.
Jiovanny William, French deputy for Martinique, where Olivier Dubois is from, also expressed his satisfaction. ” It is a relief, really, to know that Olivier Dubois is safe and sound released and that he will return to his family.he reacted on RFI. The effort has been made, the State has done its job. Today, I can only be satisfied to know that Olivier will return to his family and that the work that has been done by the journalists, by the association that has been set up for the occasion, by Martiniquaises and Martiniquais who also joined in this, well it all paid off “.