Key facts
- Malian authorities arrested journalists Abderhmane Keita and Chahana Takiou.
- Keita was charged with undermining national unity and spreading false information.
- Takiou was charged with undermining the credibility of the state.
- The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on freedom of expression by Mali's military leadership.
- Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are ruled by military leaders who seized power in recent years.
Malian authorities have arrested two prominent journalists in the past two days, escalating a crackdown on freedom of expression by the country's military leadership. The main press association in Mali, "Maison de La Presse," reported that Abderhmane Keita was arrested on charges of "undermining national unity and the credibility of the State" and "dissemination of false and misleading information." Keita had stated on his TV program that the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group controls the northern town of Kidal, which was seized by the group and separatists in April. Public statements suggesting military losses to jihadist groups often result in charges in Mali.
Keita's arrest followed that of Chahana Takiou, a well-known television presenter and editor-in-chief of "22 Septembre" newspaper. Takiou was arrested on Monday, accused of "undermining the credibility of the State through the judicial system." He had recently criticized the authorities' use of a cybercrime law, asserting it infringes on press freedom.