Space Industry and Business News
AFRICA NEWS
Mali influencer arrested after denouncing junta's 'failure'
Mali influencer arrested after denouncing junta's 'failure'
by AFP Staff Writers
Bamako (AFP) March 15, 2023

A prominent social media influencer in Mali was detained Wednesday after lambasting the ruling military junta as a "failure" with regards to insecurity and inflation, prosecutors told AFP.

The arrest of Rokia Doumbia came days after another media figure, radio and TV presenter Mohamed Youssouf Bathily, widely known as "Ras Bath", was jailed for alleging former prime minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga had been "murdered" while in detention last year.

Tensions have risen since junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, who took control after two coups since August 2020, last week postponed a constitutional referendum -- a key part of his pledge to hold democratic elections in February 2024.

Doumbia, known for her popular posts against soaring prices, told AFP she had been arrested Monday after a live TikTok broadcast in Bamako.

A prosecutor who requested anonymity said she had been held two days and charged with "inciting rebellion" and "troubling public order via communication technologies".

"Under your governance, nothing is working," Doumbia said of Goita in the broadcast. "This transition is a failure with zero percent [results]. I wouldn't even given you one percent, but zero percent."

"No Malian lives in peace," she added, mocking the junta's claims of success against Islamic insurgents that have carried out deadly attacks for more than a decade.

"History will show that IBK was right," she said, referring to former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was ousted in the coup carried out amid growing anger against the insurgency but also widespread corruption.

"Ras Bath" was detained after a rally Saturday marking the renewal of Keita's party, the Alliance for Solidarity in Mali (ASMA).

He told the crowd that Maiga, who was premier under Keita from 2017 to 2019, "did not die, he was murdered, that's the only word for it".

Maiga had been arrested in August 2021 on fraud and other charges before dying in detention in March 2022, after relatives had requested urgent medical care.

Mali is in the throes of an 11-year-old security crisis triggered by a regional revolt in the north that developed into a full-blown jihadist insurgency.

Since then the military junta has severed ties with France, the country's traditional ally, which has pulled its troops out of Mali, while seeking closer ties with Russia.

kt-mk-sd-lal-amt/js/jj

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
Security Council renews UN S.Sudan mission for one year
United Nations, United States (AFP) March 16, 2023
The UN Security Council voted Wednesday to extend for another year its mission in South Sudan, the world's youngest state, which is undertaking a fragile peace process but remains plagued by post-civil-war violence. Thirteen of the council's 15 members voted to extend the mandate for the mission, known as UNMISS, until March 15, 2024. China and Russia abstained. Early this month the head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, urged South Sudan's government to implement its peace agreement in order to h ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
MIT 3D-printed revolving devices can sense how they are moving

Venezuela, China, Biden and extraterrestrials: the disinformation of AI

Costa Rica's 'urban mine' for planet-friendlier lithium

Exploring the nanoworld of biogenic gems

AFRICA NEWS
Rensselaer researcher breaks through the clouds to advance satellite communication

SpaceX launches 40 more Internet satellites for competitor

Advanced comms satellite launched from Sichuan

Babcock secures UK Military Skynet satellite contract

AFRICA NEWS
AFRICA NEWS
Topcon further expands MC-X Platform with all-new GNSS Option

Italian airline signs up for space-enabled flights

China to employ BeiDou satellite-based augmentation system in railway survey

GEODNET offers centimeter precision and GNSS corrections for OEMS and Ag Sector

AFRICA NEWS
Poland and Slovakia to transfer MiG-29 planes to Ukraine; W.House still opposes move

Norway buys US military helicopters to replace European NH90s

China Aerospace Studies Institute introduces research, analysis toolkit for commanders

Emissions and contrail study with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel

AFRICA NEWS
Researchers create breakthrough spintronics manufacturing process that could revolutionize the electronics industry

Chip war and censorship hobble Chinese tech giants in chatbot race

Brain cells inspire new computer components

Customizing catalysts for solid-state reactions

AFRICA NEWS
Leading ozone scientist says more climate surprises likely

Detailed images from space offer clearer picture of drought effects on plants

Intelsat to operate air pollution monitoring space instrument

Record early start again for Tokyo's cherry blossoms

AFRICA NEWS
Scientists make 'disturbing' find on remote island: plastic rocks

Unwanted visitor ruins spring break in Florida - toxic algae

Dust storms cause air pollution spike across north China

Report: Only six countries met 'healthy' air quality standards in 2022

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.