Journalist detained by security agents in Mali

The African Press Organization (APO) reports that state security agents in Mali detained an editor on 7 March 2013 in connection with his newspaper’s publication of an open letter criticizing a financial package awarded to a former coup leader.

At least three journalists have been harassed by State Security agents since Mali's March 2012 coup. Editors Biram Fall and Saouti Labass Haïdara were arbitrarily detained in May 2012 in connection with articles, and Habi Baby, another editor, was detained for eight days in June 2012.

Six agents of State Security, Mali’s intelligence agency, arrested Boukary Daou, editor for Le Républicain, in the capital, Bamako, according to Assane Koné, the paper’s editor-in-chief.

“The arbitrary arrest of Boukary Daou is another example of Malian security agents acting outside the law in trying to harass journalists,” said Committee to Protect Journalists Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “We call on the government to immediately release Daou.”