Stand with the activists and journalists persecuted in the sahel

In recent years, human rights have been seriously threatened in several Sahel countries. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, human rights defenders, journalists and engaged citizens have been harassed, arrested and/or detained simply for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and information.  In some countries, they even risk deprivation of nationality or even torture and ill-treatment in detention, simply for expressing an independent opinion.

Express your solidarity with activists and journalists in the Sahel by signing a petition calling for an end to the repression and the protection of those who dare to break the silence

What’s the problem?

In a region marked by armed conflict and the coming to power of military regimes, independent voices are silenced, under the pretext of national sovereignty and the struggle against imperialism.

The authorities use without grounds the threat to state credit or national security to justify arbitrary arrests. In some, they break free from the rule of law through the practice of enforced disappearances to repress critical voices.

  • In Burkina Faso, journalist Idrissa Barry was abducted in March 2025 by armed men identifying themselves as gendarmes in a municipal office and is still missing. A few days earlier, the Servir et non se Servir (SENS) movement, of which he is the Secretary General, had denounced in a press release human rights violations perpetrated by the army and the volunteers for the defense of the homeland (VDP) in the west of the country.
  • In Mali, anti-corruption activist Clément Dembélé has been imprisoned since November 2023 despite the dismissal of his case by a judge, while influencer Rokiatou Doumbia has been detained since March 2023 after serving her sentence for denouncing the high cost of living and insecurity.
  • In Niger, the Secretary General of the Alternatives Espaces Citoyens (AEC) movement, Moussa Tchangari, was arrested in December 2024 after a stay abroad and for his public opinion critical of the military power. Nearly a year after his arrest, he remains in custody and has still not been heard on the merits.

This repression, which is spreading throughout the region, is instilling a climate of fear.

But human rights – freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and protection from arbitrary detention – are non-negotiable.

The authorities in the Sahel must change course and demonstrate a genuine commitment to respecting human rights.

What can you do?

Ask the authorities of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to:

  • End arbitrary arrests and harassment of human rights defenders and journalists;
  • Immediately release Moussa Tchangari, Clément Dembélé and Rokiatou Doumbia;
  • Reveal the whereabouts of Idrissa Barry, guarantee his safety and release him;
  • Ensure respect for freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly throughout the region.

Add your voice now

Demand that the Sahel authorities end repression and protect those who defend our rights.

Your signature can help save lives and restore freedom to a region where courage has become an act of resistance.