The West Africa Editors Society (WAES) has condemned the conviction of Malian journalist Youssouf Sissoko, publisher of the weekly newspaper L’Alternance, who was sentenced to two years in prison for publishing an opinion piece that challenged statements by Niger’s military ruler.
The National Cybercrime Unit’s tribunal in Bamako handed down the sentence on Monday, March 23, also ordering Sissoko to pay one million CFA francs in damages, in a verdict that has drawn widespread outrage from press freedom organisations across the continent.
The case stems from an article published in the 200th edition of L’Alternance on February 2, written by an external political analyst living in exile, which questioned Niger President Abdourahamane Tiani’s claim that the leaders of France, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire had sponsored an attack on a military air base near Niamey in January. Although Sissoko did not write the article, he was prosecuted in his capacity as publication director under Mali’s 2019 cybercrime law.
He was charged with spreading false information, damaging the credibility of the state and insulting a foreign head of state.
In a statement released on Tuesday, WAES Interim President Emmanuel K. Dogbevi described the verdict as a troubling setback for press freedom in Mali, saying it risks establishing a dangerous precedent that could further weaken already fragile independent media institutions across the Sahel. The society called on Malian authorities to exercise restraint and ensure their legal framework governing the media complies fully with national and international standards on freedom of expression.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the verdict as a serious violation of press freedom and called for Sissoko’s immediate release, saying the charges illustrate the abusive use of the cybercrime law to silence journalists. “It is now clear that it is impossible to publish articles critical of not just Malian authorities, but also Nigerien and Burkinabè authorities without risking legal persecution,” the organisation said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted that Malian authorities have drastically reduced the media’s ability to criticise their actions in recent years and are now broadening that approach to cover their partners in the Alliance of Sahel States, where independent journalism is more fragile than ever.
WAES is an affiliate of The African Editors Forum (TAEF), the continental body representing editors across Africa.
