Political parties and civil society groups in Mali have rejected the suspension of political activities by the country's military rulers and plan to mount a legal challenge to the order from the junta which also banned media coverage of political parties.
In a declaration, parties and civil society groups said they were astonished by the decree issued Wednesday suspending all activities by political parties and groups, until further notice. The signatories to the declaration called the decision a"serious violation... of democratic freedoms." The junta justified suspending political activities in order to maintain public order, though the decree comes as political groups and civil society organisations have been pushing for the junta to organise elections, to return the country to civilian rule.senior opposition politician Housseini Guindo called out"dictatorial drift" and said it was time for people"to resist this ignominy and initiate civil disobedience until the fall of the illegal and illegitimate regime".
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