Mali: Detained journalist Ras Bath rejects charges as trial opens in Bamako
The trial of Malian commentator Youssouf Bathily, widely known as Ras Bath, opened on August 10 at the Bamako Court of Appeal, according to Africanews. Bathily and his co-defendant Rose, an activist, both rejected accusations of criminal association and undermining state institutions as proceedings began.
Bathily is a well-known radio commentator and social media personality who has built a large following through outspoken commentary on national affairs. He is among several public figures detained by Malian authorities in recent years, in what rights groups describe as a broader crackdown on dissent following the military coups of 2020 and 2021.
Since the junta consolidated power under transitional leader Assimi Goïta, international organisations have documented what they describe as a sharp deterioration in press freedom and civic space in Mali. Several journalists, opposition figures and civil society activists have been arrested or have fled the country, while media outlets critical of the authorities have faced suspensions and administrative pressure.
At the opening hearing, both Bathily and Rose denied the charges against them, as Africanews reported. Their defence team has framed the prosecution as politically motivated, an argument the state has dismissed. Convictions under Mali’s penal code provisions on offences against state institutions can carry lengthy prison terms.
The case is being followed closely by press freedom advocates and diplomatic observers. Mali has fallen sharply in global press freedom rankings since the military takeover, a trend that media organisations attribute to the systematic targeting of critical voices in the country.
Sources
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