Prominent Mali journalist, influencer jailed for seven years for criticising junta
The pair were convicted of criminal conspiracy and discrediting the state after airing criticism of the military government, with each also receiving a suspended term.
- On Monday, a Malian court sentenced broadcaster Mohamed Youssouf Bathily, alias Ras Bath, and influencer Rokia Doumbia to seven years in prison for criminal conspiracy and discrediting the state.
- The military government, which seized power in 2020 and 2021, has increasingly restricted political freedoms; prosecutors alleged the broadcaster and influencer were "in association" with each other.
- Prosecutors argued "Ras Bath is a danger" to the junta and "must be kept a long way from social media and the radio." Ras Bath appeared gaunt after being held since March 2023.
- The judge imposed three years of suspended sentences atop the seven-year jail terms. Mohamed Aly Bathily, the broadcaster's father and defense counsel, told AFP they have not yet decided whether to appeal.
- Mali ranks 121st out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, reflecting narrowing space for dissent as the country faces jihadist violence and criminal gangs since 2012.
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12 Articles
Court of Marrakech imposes 10 months in prison, fine and three years without networks after his arrest in Casablanca for broadcasting videos considered against modesty
In Mali, the famous Malian columnist Mohamed Youssouf Bathily - alias Ras Bath -, a critical voice of the junta in detention for three years, was sentenced on Monday 17 August to 10 years in prison, three of which were suspended, for "attacking the credit of the State" and "association of criminals". The influential Rokia Doumbia, known as "Rose, the expensive life", received the same penalty.
On Monday, the Bamako Court of Appeal sentenced the two activists to ten years in prison. This decision, denounced by their defence as politically motivated, illustrates the tightening of the crackdown on dissenting voices.
Two prominent figures in the Malian opposition – columnist Mohamed Youssouf Bathily and influencer Rokia Doumbia – were sentenced in Bamako to 10 years in prison, three of which were suspended. They were tried in 2023 for "criminal conspiracy" and "undermining the state's reputation" following a broadcast focusing on the population's economic hardships.
Both activists, who have been incarcerated since March 2023, have been found guilty of violating state security by Malian justice. Ras Bath and Rose's expensive life have been sentenced to 10 years in prison, including 3 years in prison.
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