Malian courts have dismissed several legal appeals aimed at reversing the military-led government’s sweeping ban on political parties and associations, according to a statement issued on Friday by leaders of the dissolved groups.
The military junta, under the leadership of General Assimi Goita, issued a decree on 13 May that disbanded all political organisations and prohibited public gatherings. The move prompted immediate legal challenges from party representatives in Bamako, who questioned the legality of the decree and its broader impact on political freedoms.
Mountaga Tall, a lawyer and head of the now-banned National Congress for Democratic Initiative (CNID), confirmed that appeals had been rejected by various courts. He stated that the parties plan to escalate their legal battle to the Bamako Court of Appeal. “They have already turned to the Supreme Court, and the fight will continue both within Mali and through international legal channels,” the statement read.
The dissolved political groups argue that the junta’s actions constitute a grave violation of fundamental democratic rights, including freedom of association, freedom of assembly, and the right to engage in political life.
Approximately 300 political organisations existed in Mali before the ban. The junta claims the dissolution is intended to streamline the political landscape, though critics see it as part of a broader campaign to stifle dissent and consolidate power.
This latest restriction comes amid a broader trend of authoritarian measures imposed by the junta, which seized power through two coups in 2020 and 2021. At the end of April, a national consultation convened by the military authorities called for the dissolution of political parties and stricter criteria for establishing new ones.
The same consultation also recommended that General Goita remain in power for a renewable five-year term, despite earlier promises to transfer authority back to a civilian government by March 2024.
Mali has remained unstable for over a decade due to ongoing violence by jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, along with the activities of local armed groups and criminal networks.