UN experts have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Malian civil society activist Clément Mamadou Dembélé, who remains in detention despite being cleared of all charges by a court. They urged Malian authorities to comply with the order issued on 17 April 2025 by the investigating judge of the first chamber of the Pôle national de lutte contre la cybercriminalité, which dismissed the case against Dembélé due to insufficient evidence.
The experts highlighted that this situation reflects a broader and escalating pattern of human rights violations targeting opposition politicians, civil society members, journalists, and human rights defenders in Mali. They noted that similar concerns had been raised repeatedly in 2021, 2024, and earlier in 2025.
Clément Mamadou Dembélé, a Malian academic and anti-corruption leader, has been imprisoned since November 2023. He serves as president of the Plateforme contre la corruption et le chômage au Mali (PCC) and the Front commun pour le Mali. Dembélé was arrested in Bamako while preparing a press conference to denounce nationwide power cuts, facing accusations of issuing death threats against the transitional president and his family in a voice message attributed to him. Despite the court’s dismissal of the case for lack of evidence, he remains in Bamako Central Prison, raising concerns about his health.
The UN experts emphasized that Dembélé’s continued detention appears politically motivated, as the legal system may be being used to target him unjustly. They have communicated their concerns directly to the Government of Mali and are awaiting a response.
