Mali’s ruling junta has suspended the French-language channel TV5 Monde for three months, accusing it of lacking “balance” in its coverage of a recent incident in the northern town of Tinzaouatene. The High Authority for Communication (HAC) announced the suspension on Wednesday, citing concerns over the channel’s report on drone strikes that killed at least 15 civilians.
According to the HAC, TV5 Monde aired a news item on August 25 that failed to include the Malian army’s version of events. “The channel neglected to present the army’s account of the incident, despite being requested to do so,” the HAC stated.
TV5 Monde expressed regret over the situation, stating that it had reached out to the Malian army for comment but received no response by the time of the broadcast. “The Malian army’s version was not available at the time of our report,” TV5 Monde said in a statement. “However, we included their perspective in a news item dated August 26.”
The suspension marks the latest in a series of actions by Mali’s military government against foreign media. Since coming to power through back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, the junta has already banned several French media outlets, including France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI), and expelled numerous foreign journalists. Earlier this year, the authorities also suspended France 2, and in August, news channel LCI faced a similar fate.
The junta’s move underscores its growing divergence from former colonial power France, as it strengthens ties with Russia. “We remain committed to promoting balanced journalism, but we also expect fair treatment of our national issues,” the HAC added in its statement.
TV5 Monde, which is owned by a consortium of public broadcasters from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and Quebec, aims to promote French culture and creative expression globally. The channel described the suspension as “regrettable,” emphasizing that it had not been given an opportunity to explain the facts before the decision was made.
Mali has been under military rule since the two coups, and its leaders have increasingly taken a hardline stance on both international and domestic critics.
