Malian authorities arrested prominent politician Issa Kaou N’Djim Wednesday for criticizing the military rulers of neighboring Burkina Faso, marking another crackdown on political dissent in the West African nation.
N’Djim, a former supporter of Mali’s military leader Col. Assimi Goita, faces charges of insulting a foreign head of state after claiming on Joliba TV News that Burkina Faso’s military rulers fabricated evidence of a November coup attempt, according to a judiciary source speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization.
“He knows he is being arrested because of his political struggle,” said his son, Ousmane N’djim, as authorities transferred the politician to Bamako’s main prison. The TV station’s director has also been summoned for questioning.
The arrest highlights growing tensions in the Sahel region, where Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) under military governments that seized power through coups. Mali and Burkina Faso’s juntas took control in 2020 and 2022 respectively, citing popular discontent with elected governments’ handling of security issues.
N’Djim previously served as vice president of Mali’s National Transitional Council, the junta’s legislative body, before advocating for a return to electoral democracy. He received a six-month prison sentence in 2021 for criticizing the military regime on social media.
The security situation has deteriorated across the three AES countries, with analysts reporting record numbers of Islamic extremist attacks. Government forces face accusations of killing civilian suspects while suppressing political opposition and media freedom. In June, Malian authorities arrested eleven opposition politicians and several activists.
Amnesty International has called for N’Djim’s immediate release.
