Olivier Dubois (French pronunciation: [ɔlivje dybwa]; born 6 August 1974) is a French journalist who covers Malian affairs for Le Point and Libération. In April 2021, he was abducted in Gao by the jihadist group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin. He was freed on 20 March 2023 following a joint effort by Niger and France.

Career

Dubois moved to Bamako, Mali, in 2015 to work as a journalist covering conflicts in the region.[1] There, he directed a documentary series titled Poilorama for ARTE Créative.

In 2020, he joined the newspaper Libération as a freelancer, covering several major events in Mali, such as the 2020 Malian protests and the liberation of French-Swiss humanitarian worker Sophie Pétronin, who had been abducted by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.[2][3]

In late February 2021, he covered conflicts in the Dogon country in Mali, spending several days with the Dan Na Ambassagou militia and having photographs taken by him published in Libération for the first time.[4]

Abduction

In late March 2021, Dubois had pitched a story to Libération to interview Abdallah Ag Albakaye, a lieutenant in Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, the official branch of Al-Qaeda in Mali, seeking information, particularly on the group's conflict with the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, a rival jihadist organisation.[5]

On 8 April, Dubois arrived in Gao by plane. After having breakfast at the Askia Motel, his fixer (who had arranged the interview and was later arrested) reported that he embarked into a car with several men. Two days later, on 10 April, Dubois did not show up for his flight out of Gao.[6]

On 4 May, a 21-second video was released on social media of Dubois stating that he had been abducted and asking "my family, my friends and the French authorities for them to do everything in their power to free me." After the release of the video, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that he had gone missing and that they were investigating the authenticity of the video.[7] Later that month, Jean-Yves Le Drian, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs confirmed that he had been abducted.[8]

On 7 May, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement calling for his immediate release and stating that "journalists covering the Sahel region face an extremely high threat of kidnapping, and work under very dangerous circumstances."[9]

On 7 June, demonstrations organised by Reporters sans frontières were held in Paris and Bamako calling for his release.[10][11]

A second video was released on social media in March 2022. In the undated 69-second video, Dubois addressed his family and the French government, asking for his release.[12][13]

After nearly two years in captivity, Dubois was released on 20 March 2023. His release took place following a months-long effort by authorities in Niger. He was released alongside another hostage, U.S. aid worker Jeffery Woodke, to French and U.S. authorities before being transported to Niamey.[14][15]

Personal life

Dubois has a wife and two children.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Mali : la France ouvre une enquête antiterroriste après l'enlèvement du journaliste Olivier Dubois" [Mali: France opens anti-terrorism investigation after the kidnapping of journalist Olivier Dubois]. Les Echos. 5 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Macé, Célian. "Olivier Dubois, journaliste privé de son mouvement perpétuel" [Olivier Dubois, journalist deprived of his every movement]. Libération.
  3. ↑ "Qui est Olivier Dubois, le journaliste français enlevé au Mali?" [Who is Olivier Dubois, the French journalist kidnapped in Mali?]. RMC.
  4. ↑ Dubois, Olivier. "Mali : au pays dogon, la guerre sur un plateau" [Mali: in Dogon country, war on a plateau]. Libération.
  5. ↑ Macé, Célian. "Enlèvement d'Olivier Dubois au Mali: le piège de Gao" [Abduction of Olivier Dubois in Mali: Gao's trap]. Libération.
  6. ↑ "Comment le journaliste Olivier Dubois a été enlevé au Mali" [How journalist Olivier Dubois was kidnapped in Mali]. 5 May 2021 – via Le Monde.
  7. ↑ Antonella Francini, Saskya Vandoorne and Eliza Mackintosh. "French journalist kidnapped in Mali pleads for help in video". CNN.
  8. ↑ à 14h38, Par Le Parisien avec AFP Le 23 mai 2021 (23 May 2021). "Le journaliste Olivier Dubois est bien l'otage d'un groupe djihadiste au Mali, confirme Le Drian" [Journalist Olivier Dubois is the hostage of a jihadist group in Mali, confirms Le Drian]. leparisien.fr.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "CPJ calls for immediate release of kidnapped French journalist Olivier Dubois in Mali". 7 May 2021.
  10. ↑ Forson, Malick Diawara, Viviane (7 June 2021). "Avec Olivier Dubois, journaliste otage au Mali" [With Olivier Dubois, hostage journalist held hostage in Mali]. Le Point.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ "Ensemble pour Olivier Dubois, otage au Mali" [Together for Olivier Dubois, hostage in Mali]. Libération.
  12. ↑ "Olivier Dubois, journaliste français pris en otage au Mali, apparaît pour la première fois dans une vidéo". Le Monde (in French). 14 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "Enfin une preuve de vie d'Olivier Dubois, otage au Mali". Libération (in French). 13 March 2022.
  14. ↑ Gregory, James (20 March 2023). "Jeffery Woodke and Olivier Dubois finally freed in West Africa". BBC News.
  15. ↑ "Le journaliste Olivier Dubois, otage au Sahel depuis 2021, a été libéré". Le Monde (in French). 20 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "L'Entretien - Déborah, compagne d'Olivier Dubois, détenu au Mali : "Les enfants et moi attendons ton retour"" [The Interview - Déborah, partner of Olivier Dubois detained in Mali: "The children and I are waiting for your return"]. France 24. 7 June 2021.
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