Three organizations, including the International Federation for Human Rights, have filed a complaint against Mali before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. They denounce serious abuses committed in 2022 against civilians.
The request aims to establish the responsibility of the Malian state, accused of failing to protect the population or prosecute those responsible.
Malian Army and Wagner in the spotlight
According to the plaintiffs, the violations involve the Malian Armed Forces and the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, now part of the Africa Corps.
The reported violations include executions, torture, rape, arbitrary detention, and forced disappearances. More than 500 civilians are said to have been killed during operations, particularly in Moura and Hombori in 2022.
Explosive security context
Led by a junta since 2020, Mali continues to face multiple violence scenarios involving jihadist groups, regular forces, and foreign actors.
NGOs denounce persistent impunity and almost stagnant national judicial procedures, despite the seriousness of the accusations.
A major judicial precedent
This action is presented as the first targeting a state for its use of private military actors. The organizations hope to establish a jurisprudence on state responsibility in this type of security cooperation.
The procedure could mark a turning point in the fight against impunity in Africa, in a context of increasing militarization of conflicts.
