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cross the globe, democratic regimes and values have come under attack on a scale not seen since 1945. This global trend should not distract from the particularly troubling situation in many French-speaking African countries, where progress made since the 1990s toward allowing populations to freely elect their leaders has been reversed. This shift is marked by the silencing of opposition and brutal repression. In the Sahel region, it is also characterized by an information blackout following the banning of independent and foreign media outlets.
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The 'code of silence' surrounding the Sahel's fallen soldiers
Mali and Burkina Faso were once seen as beacons of democratic hope, but the military juntas that seized power in these countries in 2020 and 2022, respectively, no longer even mention the prospect of elections. In May, all political parties in Mali were dissolved, and General Assimi Goïta began monitoring, abducting and imprisoning his critics. On Friday, August 1, Goïta jailed former prime minister Moussa Mara after Mara posted a message on social media calling for resistance. In Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré is forcibly sending opponents to the anti-jihadist front lines.
