UN Experts Urge Mali to Reveal Fate of Disappeared Father and Son

“Mali must immediately and unconditionally release Amadou Diarra, his father Samakono Diarra and other victims of enforced disappearance,” the experts said.

United Nations human rights experts have called on Malian authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Amadou Diarra and his elderly father Samakono Diarra, who were abducted from their home in Bamako in separate incidents now feared to constitute enforced disappearances.

The experts warned that the men have been held incommunicado for months, outside the protection of the law, and urged Mali to release them unconditionally.

“Mali must immediately and unconditionally release Amadou Diarra, his father Samakono Diarra and other victims of enforced disappearance,” the experts said.

Abductions in Bamako Raise Alarm

Amadou Diarra, 39, was kidnapped on 27 November 2024 from the Kanadjiguila neighbourhood in Commune IV of the Bamako district.

Nearly a year later, his father Samakono Diarra, 92, was taken on 13 October 2025, also from the family home.

Both men were reportedly abducted by a group of hooded, unidentified individuals suspected of belonging to Mali’s intelligence services — specifically the Agence Nationale de la Sécurité d’État (ANSE) — or elements of the gendarmerie at Camp I in Bamako.

Witnesses reported the alleged abductors were travelling in a black Toyota V8 4x4 with tinted windows and no licence plate, before taking the men to an unknown destination.

To date, their families have received no information about their fate, despite repeated appeals at police and gendarmerie precincts.

Possible Reprisals Against Family Members

According to information received by the UN experts, the disappearances may have been carried out as reprisals linked to the men’s relationship to Bina Diarra, who has been identified as a spokesperson for Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

Bina Diarra is reportedly the younger brother and son of the disappeared men.

The experts stressed that under international law and Malian legislation, including the Penal Code, criminal responsibility is strictly individual.

“No one is criminally responsible except the individual committing the crime,” they recalled.

Elderly Victim Taken During Medical Treatment

The disappearance of Samakono Diarra has raised additional humanitarian concerns given his advanced age and fragile health.

He had travelled to Bamako for medical care and was living with his son when abducted. Reports indicate he was taken while receiving intravenous treatment.

“As time goes by, his condition could deteriorate further, impacting his physical and psychological health,” the experts warned.

Complaint Filed With Prosecutor

On 29 October 2025, Cheick Oumar Diarra, another son of Samakono, filed a formal complaint for “kidnapping and enforced disappearance” with the Public Prosecutor in Bamako Commune IV.

The experts emphasised that when state authorities detain individuals while refusing to acknowledge custody or reveal their location, the crime of enforced disappearance is committed.

“Such acts constitute an enforced disappearance regardless of the duration of the detention or concealment,” they said.

Pattern of Systematic Disappearances

The experts warned that enforced disappearances are increasingly following a disturbing pattern in Mali.

“Enforced disappearances follow a pattern in Mali. The frequency of the practice, its organised nature and methods used indicate a systematic character,” they said.

They accused ANSE and the gendarmerie of Camp I in Bamako of acting with impunity, citing the lack of effective oversight.

Under Malian law, ANSE operates directly under the authority of the President, and its agents enjoy significant legal protection, facing prosecution only under limited circumstances.

“By virtue of functioning directly under the President, ANSE’s actions raise questions of criminal liability of superiors under Malian and international law,” the experts said.

UN Engagement With Malian Government

The experts confirmed they are in contact with the Government of Mali regarding the case and urged immediate action to locate the disappeared men, ensure their safety, and hold perpetrators accountable.

The case adds to growing international concern over Mali’s human rights obligations and the reported use of enforced disappearance as a tool of intimidation and reprisal.