The director of the biweekly newspaper 22 Septembre, Chahana Takiou, was sentenced on Monday by Bamako’s National Cybercrime Unit to a one-year prison term, with six months to be served without parole. Arrested in early June, the journalist faced prosecution after sharply criticizing the transitional authorities during the Pan-African Media Forum.
During the discussions, Takiou condemned the use of cybercrime legislation to prosecute journalists, arguing that press-related offenses should be handled under media-specific laws. He also declared that “journalism knows no borders”, a statement that drew applause from part of the audience.
Press freedom under increasing pressure
Upon hearing the verdict, one of Takiou’s lawyers expressed disappointment, noting the sentence was harsher than anticipated. Since seizing power in the 2020 coup, the transitional government led by General Assimi Goïta has faced repeated accusations from human rights and press freedom advocates of suppressing public discourse through prosecutions, detentions, and political party dissolutions. In Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 World Press Freedom Index, Mali ranks 121st out of 180 countries.
This latest conviction comes against a backdrop of over a decade of severe security challenges in Mali, including jihadist attacks, intercommunal violence, and political instability.