African Media Barometer MALI 2010 Executive Summary Mali’s Constitution and other pieces of legislation guarantee freedom of expression, including freedom of the media. However, in practice, journalists, activists and human rights defenders may be fearful to enact these freedoms. The State, as well as religious groups, have been known to pressurise, intimidate, harass and threaten the media, while socio-cultural issues also restrict freedom of expression. Mali adheres to various regional and international conventions, which are reflected in its national legislation. Legally, there is no need to obtain prior authorisation from the state in order to publish a newspaper in Mali. Implicitly, the same applies to online news and blogs. Only the establishment of private broadcasting bodies requires authorisation. Media legislation and regulation evolve generally from meaningful consultations with state institutions, citizens and interest groups. Mali is a West African country, a member of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). It borders Mauritania and Algeria in the north, Niger in the East, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast in the south, Guinea in the south-west and Senegal in the west. Two-thirds of the northern part of the country (representing 65 per cent of the entire territory) is a desert. Within its 14.5 million inhabitants (2009), there are a variety of ethnic groups, including Bambaras, Bobos, Bozos, Dogons, Khassonkés, Malinkés, Minianka, Peuls, Sénoufos, Soninkés (or Sarakolés), Sonrhaïs and Touaregs. French is the official language, but in general local populations speak, read and write their vernacular languages of which the Bambara is most popular (80 per cent of the population). Islam is the main religion in Mali (90 per cent), while there are also practising Catholics and Protestants, as well as animist ritualism among certain populations. The history of Mali is marked by five important empires or kingdoms: the Ghana empire, the Mali empire, the Songhai empire, the Bambara de Ségou kingdom and the Peul empire du Macina. Following the French invasion in 1883, Mali became a French colony under the name French Soudan. In April 1959, Senegal and Soudan met to form the federation of Mali, which split some months later with the withdrawal of Senegal. In September 1960, Soudan also proclaimed its independence under the leadership of President Modibo Keïta, while still conserving the name of Mali. In 1968, Keita was overthrown in a coup d’état led by a group of officers under the leadership of Lieutenant Moussa Traoré. In 1991, Traoré was overthrown by General Amadou Toumani Touré in favour of the Popular Movement for Democracy (PMD). AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MALI 2010 75