Human Rights Watch has called on the government of Mali to "credibly and independently" investigate the apparent extrajudicial execution of 22 men who were detained by the army in the town of Diafarabé. Senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch Ilaria Allegrozzi said in a May 20 statement: "The killing of at least 22 men in military custody puts a burden on the Malian authorities to demonstrate that its investigation is credible and to make public its findings." She further noted that those responsible should be prosecuted "fully and fairly."

HRW expressed concern following an announcement by the chief of staff of the Malian armed forces that an investigation had been launched to investigate the disappearance of civilians on the day the arrests occurred. The organization emphasized that the military conducting the investigation "raises grave concerns that the inquiry will not be independent or impartial."

The men were reportedly detained by the Malian military May 12 in Diafarabé, a town in the central Mopti region of the country. According to witnesses, armed soldiers arrested the men during a military operation in the town and took them across the Niger River. The 22 victims were ethnic Fulani men aged between 32 and 67 who were trading at the local cattle market. Witnesses from the town believe soldiers targeted Fulani men on suspicion of collaborating with fighters of Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen (Group for the Support of Islam & Muslims [JNIM]), who have a strong presence in the region.

Protesters gathered outside the Diafarabé military base after the soldiers returned to the town without the detained men, demanding information about their relatives. Three days later, the military escorted town residents and family members to the site where the men were taken, where the bodies were found in "two poorly dug mass graves." A resident whose father was among those detained and killed stated: "All the men had their throats slashed, some appeared almost decapitated. It was so horrible that even a military commander who was accompanying us had to sit down not to faint."

Malian authorities have declined to comment on the events. Allegrozzi stated: "The commander of the Diafarabé military base should be immediately suspended pending the outcome of a thorough investigation. The authorities need to take all necessary measures to ensure that survivors and witnesses to this incident are protected."

From JURIST, May 21. Used with permission.