The G16 Regional Security Advocacy Group on Counter Terrorism in Africa has urged the Government of Mali to ensure transparency, due process, and respect for fundamental rights following the freezing of assets belonging to 12 individuals accused of financing terrorism.
In a press statement, G16 acknowledged the seriousness of terrorism financing and recognised the responsibility of the Malian government to safeguard national security. However, the organisation warned that targeted financial sanctions must be implemented in a manner that upholds the rule of law, protects civic space, and maintains public confidence.
The sanctions were imposed through Order No. 2026-1409/MEF-SG, issued on June 18, 2026, directing banks, financial institutions, and other regulated entities in Mali to freeze the assets and economic resources of 12 individuals, including journalists, lawyers, political leaders, civic actors, and a former judicial officer, over allegations of terrorism financing.
Earlier Sanctions Highlight Growing Concerns
According to G16, the latest action follows an earlier sanctions order issued on May 22, 2026, which placed former Member of Parliament Oumar Mariko, economist Étienne Fakaba Sissoko, and the Front de Libération de l’Azawad on Mali’s national targeted sanctions list.
The organisation noted that the sanctions come amid Mali’s fragile political and security environment, where ongoing violence by armed groups continues to fuel displacement, weaken public confidence, and threaten regional stability.
Call for Transparency and Judicial Safeguards
While recognising the government’s obligation to combat terrorism, G16 stressed that counterterrorism measures should be evidence-based, proportionate, transparent, and supported by legal safeguards.
The group observed that based on publicly available information, it remains unclear whether the latest sanctions were preceded by judicial authorisation, an individualised evidentiary assessment, or an effective mechanism for appeal.
“The Government of Mali has a responsibility to protect its citizens and to take lawful, necessary, and effective measures to prevent terrorism and terrorism financing. Such measures are most effective when they are evidence-based, proportionate, transparent, and accompanied by safeguards that protect fundamental rights and public trust,” the G16 collective stated.
Reference to International Standards
G16 said Mali’s sanctions order appears to rely on national legislation and international frameworks addressing anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The organisation referenced the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), noting that its standards encourage countries to implement focused, proportionate, and risk-based measures while avoiding unnecessary restrictions on legitimate civil society activities.
It further cited the 2023 revision of FATF Recommendation 8, which advises governments to identify specific risks and avoid disproportionate measures that could negatively affect non-profit organisations and civil society actors.
The statement also referred to guidance from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, which emphasises that counterterrorism efforts should not unnecessarily restrict civic space or the work of human rights defenders.
Concerns Over Civic Space and Fundamental Rights
According to G16, without adequate safeguards and accessible review mechanisms, sanctions of this nature could adversely affect freedom of expression, opinion, association, and press freedom, rights protected under Mali’s Constitution, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“The G16 condemns all forms of terrorism and the financing of terrorism. At the same time, we respectfully urge the Government of Mali to provide clear information on the legal and evidentiary basis of Order No. 2026-1409/MEF-SG, guarantee access to due process and effective review, and consider reviewing or revising the measures where appropriate,” the group stated.
Commitment to Balanced Counterterrorism Measures
The advocacy group reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the accurate implementation of global counterterrorism standards, including the FATF’s 40 Recommendations, while supporting an open civic space where journalists, lawyers, political actors, and civil society organisations can operate freely within the law without undue restrictions.
The statement was jointly signed by the G16 Regional Security Advocacy Group on Counter Terrorism in Africa, whose members include Spaces for Change (S4C) West Africa, Article 19 Senegal and West Africa, Coalition Communautaire pour la Paix et la Promotion du Vivre Ensemble (COPAVE), West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP-Togo), BEOGE NEERE, APAC, and Human Rights Reporters Ghana.
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