Mali cuts TV news station's signal over broadcast criticizing Burkina Faso's ruling junta

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s ruling junta cut the signal of the popular news broadcaster Joliba TV News after a prominent politician criticized the military rulers of neighboring Burkina Faso during a televised debate, a journalist for the channel said Tuesday.

“This morning, the authorities cut off our TV channel signal, but we’re still hopeful that they’ll restore it soon,” Attaher Halidou, the journalist who chaired the debate, told The Associated Press.

Earlier this month, Malian authorities arrested and jailed politician Issa Kaou N’Djim after he claimed during the debate on Joliba TV that the military rulers of Burkina Faso had fabricated evidence of a foiled coup in November. The broadcaster's director was also questioned by the authorities.

The decision to cut Joliba TV's signal is the latest crackdown on press freedom and political dissent in Mali, which has been ruled by a military regime since 2020.

In June, the authorities arrested 11 opposition politicians and several activists. That followed the junta's decision to ban the media from reporting on the activities of political parties and associations.

The Press House of Mali, which represents journalists and the media in the West African country, threatened on Sunday to rebroadcast the televised debate if the authorities revoked Joliba's license.

"We are in talks with the Malian authorities to find a global solution that not only concerns the restoration of Joliba TV’s signal, but also the threat of withdrawal of its license and all other factors concerning press freedom,” Bandiougou Danté, the president of the press organization, told The Associated Press.

N’Djim was one of the vice presidents of the National Transitional Council, Mali’s legislative body under the junta. He later distanced himself from the military regime and said he favored a return to electoral democracy. In 2021, he received a six-month prison sentence after he criticized the military regime on social media.

Mali has been ruled by military regimes since a series of coups which capitalized on popular discontent with previous democratically elected governments over security issues. With Niger and Burkina Faso, it is a member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a mutual defense pact which was created by the three states in 2023.

The security situation in the AES member countries has worsened in recent times, analysts say, with a record number of attacks by Islamic extremists. Government forces have also been accused of killing civilians they suspect of collaborating with militants.