Mali authorities permanently withdraw French media licenses

By BABA AHMED
Associated Press

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The High Authority for Communication of Mali has announced a decision to permanently suspend French media outlets Radio France International and France 24, two of the most listened to news outlets in the West African country. This is the first time that Mali’s government has withdrawn the operating license of foreign media. Mali’s government had temporarily suspended the media outlets on March 17, accusing them of reporting “false allegations of abuses committed by the Malian Armed Forces against civilians, and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law” in various reports.