Civil rights organizations have filed a case accusing Mali of responsibility for human rights abuses carried out by its armed forces and allied Russian mercenaries.
The complaint, submitted Monday to the African Union’s human rights court, argues that Malian authorities failed to prevent, investigate, or punish violations committed within the country. The case was brought by three groups TRIAL International, the Pan African Lawyers Union, and the International Federation for Human Rights.
According to a joint statement, the filing concerns “serious human rights violations” allegedly committed against civilians in 2022. The case is now under review at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Mali’s military government turned to Russia and the Wagner Group in 2021 after distancing itself from former colonial power France. The partnership aimed to combat jihadist fighters and Tuareg separatists, with Wagner forces helping recapture key areas in the north.
However, critics say the intervention has not significantly improved security and has been accompanied by widespread allegations of abuse. United Nations investigators have reported that Malian troops and foreign fighters believed to include Wagner operatives were responsible for the killing of at least 500 people in the town of Moura in March 2022.
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