Abba Alhassane, a prominent opposition leader in Mali, was freed Thursday after a month-long abduction by masked gunmen, his party and family confirmed.
Alhassane, general secretary of the Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM) party, was seized from his home on May 8 by men claiming to be gendarmes.
His release comes amid an intense government crackdown on dissent following two military coups in 2020 and 2021 that have reshaped Mali’s political landscape.
“We hope the charges against him will be definitively dropped,” said Mamadou Sangare, a CODEM member, describing Alhassane’s current condition as stable.
Meanwhile, El Bachir Thiam, another opposition figure abducted on the same day near Bamako, remains in captivity, his fate uncertain.
Since May, Mali’s junta, led by General Assimi Goita, dissolved all political parties and banned public gatherings, intensifying repression against political opponents.
Opposition groups have repeatedly challenged the junta’s moves in courts, but appeals have been consistently rejected, deepening tensions.
Despite risks, a coalition of opposition parties staged a rare protest in Bamako earlier this month, drawing hundreds in a bold act of resistance.
The demonstration prompted the junta to suspend political parties’ activities, citing concerns over public order and further tightening control.
Mali’s political future remains uncertain as the military government suppresses opposition voices and clamps down on democratic processes.