In Mali, the Ministry of Territorial Administration has recently moved to dismantle a prominent student union, marking the latest chapter in a broader government effort to stifle freedom of association.

Official statements from the ministry justified the dissolution of the Association des Élèves et Étudiants du Mali (AEEM) by citing its alleged involvement in “violence and clashes” within academic settings. Authorities further claimed that in 2017 and 2018, security forces detained members found with narcotics, weapons, and large sums of unexplained cash.

The AEEM is the fourth organization to face such a ban in less than four months. On March 6, the transition authorities targeted the Coordination des Mouvements, Associations et Sympathisants de l’Imam Mahmoud Dicko (CMAS). This group, which had been advocating for democratic elections and a return to civilian rule, was accused of being a “destabilizing” force and a “threat to public security.” Earlier, on February 28, the political group Kaoural Renouveau was dissolved due to what officials described as “subversive and defamatory remarks” regarding the military junta. This followed the December 20 dissolution of the Observatoire pour les élections et la bonne gouvernance, a civil society watchdog monitoring electoral integrity, whose leader was accused of making statements likely to “disturb public order.”

Since the military coup in 2021, the Mali junta has intensified its efforts to silence peaceful dissent, political opposition, and independent media outlets, significantly narrowing the country’s civic space. A striking example occurred on March 4, when Alpha Yaya Sangaré, a colonel in the gendarmerie, was forcibly disappeared. His disappearance followed the publication of a book he authored detailing human rights violations committed by the Mali armed forces.

The National Human Rights Commission of Mali recently voiced its alarm, highlighting “serious threats to the exercise of specific civic and political rights, particularly the freedom of association.” The commission condemned the “systemic trend” of suspending or dissolving political parties and associations. Similarly, Seif Magango, a spokesperson for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed deep concern regarding the closure of these civil society organizations this week.

As Mali nears three years under unelected leadership, the need for a secure and open political environment where citizens can organize and voice their opinions is critical. Observers are calling on authorities to immediately reinstate the dissolved groups and uphold fundamental human rights and freedoms.