Mali: Urgently and unconditionally free professor Étienne Fakaba Sissoko. Open Letter

Etienne Fakaba Sissoko @Etioo. Source WikiCommons

Open Letter to Mali Minister of Justice and Human Rights 

Dear Mr. Mahamadou Kassogué,

We, the undersigned Centres of PEN International in Africa urge the authorities of Mali to urgently and unconditionally quash the conviction of Malian author, economist, academic and non-violent activist, Professor Étienne Akaba Sissoko, drop all charges against him and free him from prison.

We have reviewed information since we learned about the arrest of Professor Étienne Akaba Sissoko at his home in Bamako and detention on 25 March 2024 by the Judicial Investigation Brigade. On 27 March he was charged with “harming the reputation of the state", "defamation" and "dissemination of false news disturbing the public peace’’ in relation to his 2023 book, Propaganda, Agitation and Harassment – government communication during the transition in Mali. The book denounces alleged propaganda in the Malian government’s public information campaign.

Sissoko was subsequently tried and convicted on 20 May to two years in prison, with one year suspended and a fine of XOF 3 million (about USD 4800) for ‘damages’ to the state. We note with concern that despite the Bamako Court of Appeal authorising his provisional release on 14 October, pending hearing and determination of the appeal he filed challenging his conviction, Sissoko was rearrested in the precincts of the Court and returned to Kéniéroba prison based on an application by the Public Prosecutor objecting his request for release. We are deeply saddened that after delays of his appeal hearing, on Monday 15 December, the Court of Appeal in Bamako upheld the sentence.

We write to protest the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of Professor Sissoko simply because he researched and published a book critical of Mali’s military administration. The arrest and detention of individuals as punishment for their peaceful exercise of human rights, including the right to freedom of expression is arbitrary and it violates Mali’s constitution as well as both the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of which Mali is a state party to.

We reiterate the determination of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that those detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights must be immediately released. We urge your office to urgently act to ensure that Malian authorities immediately and unconditionally quash Professor Étienne Fakaba Sissoko’s conviction, release him and guarantee full protection of his liberty.

Sissoko has been in detention for nine months for committing no crime. He should never have been arrested. Neither should he have been prosecuted and worse, convicted for simply exercising his right to freedom of expression and conducting his work as a researcher, scholar, author, and non-violent activist. Malian authorities must fulfil their regional and international human rights obligations and urgently free Sissoko to his family, profession, and liberty as a citizen. 

Finally, we urge Malian authorities to desist from what we believe are trends of weaponizing the country’s justice system against critics of state and government policies and practices. We call on the authorities to desist from these approaches and take urgent legislative and administrative measures to repeal all laws that give cover to suppression of free speech in the guise of rule of law and administration of justice.

We look forward to your positive consideration and action on the case of Professor Étienne Fakaba Sissoko and to the good news of his unconditional freedom.

Signed on this 18th Day of December 2024 by:

1.      PEN Afrikaans –                Bernard Odendaal, President

2.      PEN Eritrea in Exile –      Awet Fissehaye, Executive Director

3.      PEN Gambia –    Musa Sheriff, President

4.      PEN Guinea Bissau –       Abdulai Sila, President

5.      PEN Malawi -                    Alfred Msadala, President

6.      PEN Mauritania –             Kadi Cheikhna, President

7.      PEN Nigeria –                    Folu Agoi, President

8.      PEN Sierra Leone -           Farouk Sesay, President

9.      PEN South Africa –          Bongani Kona, President

10.   PEN Uganda -     Beatrice Lamwaka, President

11.   PEN Zimbabwe –              Elisha July, President