UN human rights expert to carry out its fifth visit to Mali

French

GENEVA (14 February 2020) - The UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali, Alioune Tine, will carry out his fifth visit to the country from 17 to 21 February 2020.

The expert will focus on the efforts made by Malian authorities and their partners to improve the protection of civilians, particularly in the central and northern parts of the country, where violence across communal lines has reached alarming levels. He will also assess efforts made by the State to restore its authority in these regions.

During his 5-day mission in Bamako and in the rest of the country, Tine will meet with  members of the Government, representatives of the opposition, judicial authorities, civil society and victims' associations, non-governmental organizations, diplomats, and representatives of the G5 Sahel and the United Nations.

The Independent Expert will meet with authorities to learn about the concrete measures taken to end the culture of impunity that has fueled human rights violations in Mali. He will also inquire about the measures planned by authorities to ensure that all men and women of voting age can participate in the legislative elections on 29 March and 19 April 2020.

The expert will present a comprehensive report of his visit during an interactive dialogue organised in March 2020 by the Human Rights Council, in the presence of representatives of the Malian Government. This interactive dialogue will particularly focus on the participation of civil society, including women and young people, in the current peace and reconciliation process.

ENDS

Mr. Alioune Tine (Senegal) took office as independent expert on the human rights situation in Mali on 1 May 2018. The mandate of independent expert was renewed by the Human Rights Council on 22 March 2019 for a period of one year to assist the Government of Mali in its actions to promote and protect human rights and in the implementation of the recommendations made in Council resolutions. Mr. Tine was a founding member and President of the African Meeting for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDHO) and Coordinator of the Forum of African NGOs at the World Conference against Racism in 2000. Between 2014 and 2018 Mr. Tine was Amnesty International's Regional Director for West and Central Africa. He has published many articles and studies on literature and human rights.

The independent experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council's independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN human rights country page - Mali

For additional information and media inquiries, please contact: Jean-Claude Misenga (+41 22 917 9059 / jmisenga@ohchr.org ).

In Bamako (during the visit): Guillaume Ngefa (+223 94950226 / ngefa@un.org).

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts: The Media Unit (+ 41 22 928 9855 / mediaconsultant2@ohchr.org)

Concerned about the world we live in?

Then STAND UP for someone's rights today.

#Standup4humanrights