Malick Maiga, a contributor to Voice of America broadcasts
out of Northern Mali, was beaten and left for dead Aug. 5 in the city of Gao as
he was about to broadcast details of a demonstration that ultimately prevented
Islamists from cutting off the hand of an accused thief.
That is according to VOA director David Ensor, who said
Maiga was taken to the hospital by residents who heard the attack on the radio.
He has since given an interview to VOA about the incident.
"The Voice of America condemns this vicious attack and
urges an end to the targeting of journalists," said Ensor in a blog about
the attack.
"We applaud the local residents that came to the aid of
Maiga, who has since courageously given an interview to VOA's French to Africa
Service from his hospital bed," said Ensor. "In the interview,
[Maiga] describes how the attackers left him for dead, saying to each other, ‘he'll
never speak to VOA again.'"
Ensor says Maiga has been beaten twice already by Islamists
in Gao, where he has been reporting on the aftermath of a March coup.
