Yeri Bocoum is a Malian journalist. He disappeared on 8 June 2024; according to relatives, he was kidnapped following a government crackdown on those critical of the Malian government.
Career
editAs of June 2024, Bocoum is the vice-president of the Association of Social Media Professionals and Web Actors (APMSWA), which is based in Bamako, Mali's capital.[1] He also runs the Facebook news page YBC-Communication.[2]
Disappearance
editBocoum was last seen in public on 7 June 2024. At the time, he had been covering an unauthorized but well-attended demonstration by Synergie pour le Mali (Synergy of Action for Mali), which comprised a coalition of opposition political groups[3] who were protesting against electricity shortages, the high cost of living in the country, and mismanagement of resources by authorities.[1][2][4] Bocoum was the only journalist to cover the event.[3][5] Later that day, Bocoum posted online that he had been followed by two people on motorcycles.[3]
Relatives reported that on 8 June, Bocoum was taken from outside his home in Kati by "unknown assailants".[1][2] On 13 June, Radio France Internationale reported that Bocoum was being held by "Malian state security services".[2][5] As of 27 June, Bocoum's family had not received any updates from authorities.[2] Later that month, the Committee to Protect Journalists, an American nonprofit organization, urged Malian authorities to investigate Bocoum's disappearance.[2] The International Federation for Human Rights released a similar report and request.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Mali: social media influencer's disappearance sparks deep concern". African Press Agency. 2024-06-11. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ a b c d e f "Malian journalist Yeri Bocoum missing after covering banned protest". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2024-06-27. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ a b c "Opposition activists arrested in a crackdown in Mali were moved to prisons, families say". New Haven Register. Associated Press. 2024-06-26.
- ^ Roger, Benjamin (2024-06-11). "Au Mali, l'inquiétante disparition d'un journaliste". JeuneAfrique (in French). Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ a b Baché, David (2024-06-13). "Mali: le journaliste Yeri Bocoum toujours porté disparu après avoir couvert une manifestation". RFI (in French). Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Mali : Enlèvement du journaliste et cyberactiviste Yeri Bocoum". Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (in French). 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-07-05.