Hundreds of Malian journalists and supporters marched on Tuesday through the streets of Bamako to demand the truth about the abduction and beating of local radio personality Hamidou Diarra.
Marchers braved a light drizzle to head towards the communications ministry and present their protest at the ”barbaric” treatment of their colleague, who was abducted on July 5 near the Kledu radio station and released several hours later after being badly beaten.
There has been no motive declared for the attack, though a police source said that the investigation was ”proceeding faster than we expected”.
Diarra’s beating is the latest in a series of attacks on journalists in the West African state, following beatings of other reporters in April of last year and in June.
”We strongly denounce this new method of muzzling the media,” the marchers said in a statement handed to the communications ministry.
The government has also strongly condemned the attack on Diarra and has vowed to do the best it can to shed light on the affair. – Sapa-AFP