Bibbo, B. (2022). UN condemns Mali’s ban on French media. Al Jazeera.
Mali’s military officials ordered the restrictions on March 16, alleging that the two channels were spreading false claims regarding the army’s civil rights violations. The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the United Nations condemned Mali’s proposal to ban French news organizations and urged the country’s military leadership to reconsider their steps (Bibbo, 2022). According to the spokesman for High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the organization is saddened by the Malian press regulator’s action to permanently prohibit Radio France International and France24 (Bibbo, 2022). Those prohibitions are among the latest in a series of acts aimed at restricting freedom of the press and speech in Mali. Moreover, it is mentioned that less scrutiny and control of the press is needed at such a time. Lastly, media organizations have criticized an upsurge in assaults and defamation efforts against journalists in the last year, particularly targeting members of French news organizations. Domestic and international journalists reporting on Mali have expressed concern about the country’s media culture deteriorating.
As for the analysis, the first noteworthy detail about the article is its addressing of the highly important issue of fundamental rights. The content illuminates the violation of basic human rights that concern freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The article maintains a clear focus on the given issue and does not cover other countries or issues. Moreover, another vital factor that contributes to the evaluation of the article is the audience. The target audience for the article written by Bibbo is the international community. By accentuating the injustice in a developing country, the material could also serve as a call for action. Consequently, the aim of the reporter is to not only shed light on the oppression of media outlets in African countries but to show the indifference of other nations and organizations, striving to induce strong emotions. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the article follows a strict structure. First, the author draws the attention of the readers to the location where the incident takes place and the core event, and then he accentuates the commentary of other parties. The article ends with a description of the overall situation in Mali and expresses concern. Lastly, the article is notable for its simple lexical and grammatical structures, which aid the understanding of the material.