High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet calls on the Bamako authorities to conduct impartial investigations to combat impunity. Most of the killings and kidnappings are carried out by non-governmental armed groups, especially jihadists, but the Malian security and defense forces are also responsible for some of the human rights violations.
UN figures are relentless: 617 violations of human rights since January in Mali, including 165 murders, 40% more than in the last six months. When it comes to kidnappings, Minusma counted 328, twice as many in six months as in the whole of 2020, four times more than in 2019.
Violations of human rights committed primarily by non-governmental armed groups, whether jihadists (JNIM, EIGS) or society. But Malia’s defense and security forces are not left out, with 213 human rights violations in six months, including 44 extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions of civilians.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights was concerned about this sad record in a press release. “I urge the Malian authorities to break the cycle of impunity,” said Michelle Bachelet, conducting swift, thorough, impartial and effective investigations into all allegations of human rights violations, including those committed by the military. “Responsibility must prevail,” she stressed, “to guarantee peace.”
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