Malian authorities have arrested prominent journalist Youssouf Sissoko after he published a commentary that criticized the military leader of neighboring Niger, drawing widespread concern over press freedom in the Sahel region.
Sissoko, editor‑in‑chief of the weekly newspaper L’Alternance, was taken into custody by police in Bamako on February 5, 2026, following the publication of an article that questioned remarks made by Niger’s military ruler Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani about a recent airport attack in the Nigerien capital.
Authorities have charged him with spreading false information and insulting a foreign head of state, offences that fall under Mali’s broad cybercrime and information laws, according to rights groups. He was placed in pretrial detention and is expected to face trial in March.
Human rights and press freedom organizations including Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders have condemned the arrest, saying it reflects an increasing squeeze on independent media in Mali and the wider region, where military authorities have regularly cracked down on dissent and criticism.
The case highlights growing concerns about freedom of expression in West Africa, particularly as military governments in several Sahel countries tighten control over media and civic space amid ongoing security and political challenges.