• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: AUTHOR ACTIVIST REMAINS ARBITRARILY DETAINED (Mali Second UA 49.24)

October 31, 2024

On October 14, 2024, the Bamako Court of Appeal ordered Étienne Sissoko’s provisional release pending his appeal trial on November 11, but the decision was suspended later the same day, following an appeal filed by the Prosecutor. Étienne Sissoko, a Malian economist and university professor, was convicted on charges of defamation, damaging the state’s reputation, and distributing fake news after the publication of a book in which he denounced alleged propaganda in the Malian government’s public information campaign. He was sentenced to two years in prison, with one year suspended, and a fine of XOF 3 million (approximately 4,500 Euros). He must be immediately and unconditionally released.  

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: March 31, 2025

Take action:

  • Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
  • Click here to let us know the actions you took on Second Urgent Action 49.24. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

contact information:

Mr Mahamadou Kassogué

Minister of Justice and Human rights

Cite administrative – batiment 12

BP 97 Bamako

Mali

Email: [email protected]

CC: Embassy for Mali in the United States

Ambassador SEM Sékou Berthe

2130 R Street,

NW, Washington DC 20008

Email: [email protected]

sample letter:

Dear Minister,

I am deeply concerned with the continued arbitrary detention of Étienne Sissoko when he should never have spent a single day in prison. 

On October 14, 2024, the Bamako Court of Appeal ordered the provisional release of author, activist, and professor, Étienne Sissoko pending his appeal – set for November 11, 2024, but the Prosecutor appealed the decision on the same day, keeping him in detention. Étienne Sissoko therefore remains held in Kéniéroba Prison, 75 km from Bamako, Mali’s capital, far away from his family and lawyers.

On May 20, 2024, Professor Étienne Sissoko was sentenced to two years in prison, with one year suspended and a fine of XOF 3 million (approximately 4,500 Euros). He was convicted of “harming the reputation of the state”, “defamation”, and “dissemination of false news disturbing the public peace’’ because of his book, “Propaganda, Agitation and Harassment – government communication during the transition in Mali”, published in December 2023.

Étienne Sissoko’s detention stems solely from the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.

In light of the above, I call on you to take all necessary steps to ensure that Étienne Sissoko is immediately and unconditionally released and his conviction and sentence quashed.

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: