Olivier Dubois, a French freelancer, went missing on April 8, 2021, in the Malian region of Gao while seeking an interview with the local leader of the Al-Qaeda affiliated group Jamaa Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. His abduction was made public in a video posted online that May.

On Monday, March 20, 2023, Dubois was released and arrived at an airport in Niamey, in the neighboring country of Niger. “It’s amazing for me to be here, to be free,” Dubois said while thanking Nigerien authorities for their role in his release.

CPJ had covered the case since Dubois went missing in 2021 and advocated for his release. In a powerful Q&A, Dubois’ partner, Deborah Al Hawi Al Marsi, told CPJ in October 2021, “The trials of life are very hard, but our family is strong and the love that Olivier always gave us is still in our hearts. His love makes us still stand. I try to be very humble about my pain, because I am confident that I will see him back home.”

“We are elated that journalist Olivier Dubois is finally free and able to return home to his family and his colleagues,” said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal, in New York. “Mali’s conflict and constitutional crisis have acutely increased risks for journalists. While Dubois’ release is a relief, journalist safety continues to be concerning. We urge all parties, including jihadists, to refrain from criminal actions to silence the press.” For more on the release and the situation in Mali and the surrounding region, Quintal spoke to France 24, which can be watched here: