Reporters Without Borders hails Le Républicain editor Boukary Daou's release yesterday after a month in detention, the final weeks of which he spent sharing a cell with 50 other detainees in Bamako's main prison.

“An ordeal has ended for this journalist,” Reporters Without Borders said. “We are relieved to learn that he is out of prison and will not be detained during his trial, which is due to start on 16 April. Nonetheless, this release is only conditional and we urge the judicial authorities to drop the charges against him.”

After his arrest on 6 March in Bamako, Daou was held illegally for eight days at State Security headquarters before being transferred to prison. He is charged with “inciting disobedience” and “publishing false news” for printing an army officer's open letter on the newspaper's front page.