Mali is an African landlocked country located, sharing a border with Algeria, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Senegal. The population of this country is approx 2,13,59,000 with 12,41,238 square kilometers area. Mali has 13 national languages. The official language was French for a long time, which was abolished in 2023. Anthropologically no one is the majority. 95% of Mali is Muslim. Although Article No. 24 of the 1992 Constitution mentions that everyone is bound to obey the Constitution, the tendency of the military is not to obey it.
Mali's 1992 constitution prohibits all discrimination based on social origin, skin color, language, ethnic group, sex, religion and political opinion. Physical abuse is prohibited. If someone's property is nationalized at the state's request, compensation will be paid in a predetermined manner.
These are positive aspects. Now let's discuss the negative aspects.
The President is bound to take an oath in the name of God. The President, if desires, can dissolve Parliament by consulting with the Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly - which is a dangerous power. The legislature is not in session throughout the year.
Admirable Articles of Mali's Constitution
Article 2
Every Malian shall be born and remain free and equal in rights and obligations. All discrimination founded on social origin, color, language, race, sex, religion and political opinion shall be prohibited.
Article 3
No one shall be submitted to torture, nor to inhuman, cruel, degrading or humiliating treatment or brutality (especially from one under who's protection one falls).
Every individual, every agent of the state who by his actions is culpable of such acts, whether of his own initiative, or by instruction, shall be punished in conformity with the law.
Article 9
Punishment shall be personal.
No one shall be pursued, arrested or accused except by virtue of a law promulgated anterior to the acts for which he is reproached.
The accused shall be presumed innocent until his culpability is determined by the competent jurisdiction.
The right to a defense shall encompass the assistance of the advocate of the defendant's choice after the preliminary investigation.
Article 11
Everything not prohibited by law shall not be hindered and no one shall be forced to do that which it does not order.
Article 13
The right of property shall be guaranteed. None shall be expropriated except for public use and then only against a just and prearranged indemnification.
Article 14
Entrepreneurial freedom shall be guaranteed within the limits of the law and regulations then in force.
Article 15
Every person shall have the right to a healthy environment. The protection, defense and promotion of the environment shall be obligations for all and for the State.
Article 24
Every citizen, every person living within the Malian territory shall have the obligation to respect the Constitution in all circumstances.
Facts of Mali's Constitution
Article 20
The freedom of syndication shall be guaranteed. The syndicates exercise their activities without interference and without limits except those preordained by law.
Article 37
Before assuming office, the President elect shall take before the Supreme Court the following oath:
"I SWEAR BEFORE GOD AND THE MALIAN PEOPLE TO PRESERVEFAITHFULLY THE REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO RESPECT ANDTO SEE THAT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS ARE RESPECTED BY OTHERS, TO CARRY OUT MY DUTIES IN THE HIGHER INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE, TOPRESERVE THE DEMOCRATIC GAINS, TO GUARANTEE THE NOTIONALUNITY, THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE HOME LAND AND NATIONTERRITORIAL INTEGRITY.
I SOLEMNLY AND WITH HONOR UNDERTAKE TO UTILIZE EVERYTHINGIN ORDER TO REALIZE AFRICAN UNITY."
After the instatement ceremony and within forty eight hours time, the President of the Supreme Court shall publicly receive the written declaration of the good intentions of the President of the Republic.
This declaration shall be the object of an annual reaffirmation.
Article 42
The President of the Republic may, after consultation with the Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly, pronounce the dissolution of the National Assembly.
General elections shall take place twenty one days at the least and forty days at the most, after the dissolution.
The National Assembly shall not be dissolved in the year following these elections.
Article 64 (Part of it)
The organic law may authorize, under exceptional circumstances, the delegation of a vote. In this case, no member may be delegated more than one vote.
Article 65
The National Assembly shall convene by right in two ordinary sessions per year.
The first session shall begin the first Monday in October.
It may not exceed 75 days.
The second session shall begin the first Monday in April and may not exceed a duration of ninety days.
