Overview

• Mali's military junta, in power since 2020-21 coups, has dissolved all political parties and organizations by decree, citing 'public order' concerns.
• Pro-democracy protests in Bamako on May 3, demanding a return to civilian rule, marked the most significant public challenge to the junta's authority to date.
• Human Rights Watch reports that two opposition leaders who participated in the May 3 protests have gone missing, raising concerns of enforced disappearances.
• Elections originally scheduled for February 2024 remain indefinitely postponed, with no new timeline announced, fueling fears of prolonged military rule.
• A junta-led assembly recently proposed extending General Goita's presidency for a renewable five-year term, potentially keeping him in power until 2030.