A/HRC/25/72 I. Introduction 1. The present report has been submitted in conformity with Human Rights Council resolution 22/18 of 21 March 2013, pursuant to which the Council established a one-year mandate for an independent expert on the situation of human rights in Mali and requested him to report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-fifth session. 2. The present report covers the period between 1 July 2013 and 30 December 2013 and gives an account of the independent expert’s first visit to Mali from 20 October to 3 November 2013. It is based on information collected from governmental and religious authorities, United Nations specialized agencies, and national and international nongovernmental human rights organizations, as well as witnesses and victims of human rights violations. 3. The independent expert expresses appreciation to the Government of Mali, which facilitated his stay in the country and his meetings with national and local authorities. He met with the highest authorities of the country. The independent expert is grateful to the President of Mali, Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, for having taken the time to share with him his vision of the promotion and protection of human rights in Mali. 4. The independent expert also met with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, the Minister for the National Reconciliation and Development of the Regions of the North, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Minister of Security, the Minister for Territorial Administration, the Minister of Labour and Social and Humanitarian Affairs, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health and Hygiene. 5. In addition, the independent expert met with the Public Prosecutor, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Mali, the President of the Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission, the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission and representatives of civil society, religious leaders, political parties, armed groups and the diplomatic corps as well as representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and United Nations specialized agencies. He also visited the north of the country, in particular the regions of Kidal and Timbuktu. 6. The independent expert spoke with many witnesses and victims of human rights violations, both in Bamako and in the north of the country, and visited places of detention in Bamako, where alleged members of jihadi groups and elements of the Malian armed forces involved in the mutiny of 30 September 2013 are detained. He also met with a delegation of Malian refugees living in Mauritania. 7. The independent expert thanks in particular Albert Gerard Koenders, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Mali and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), Abdoulaye Bathily, his deputy for political affairs, and the staff of the Human Rights Division of MINUSMA in Bamako, Timbuktu and Kidal. The first visit to Mali would not have been a success without the technical, logistical and security-related support of the United Nations system in Mali. II. General situation in the country A. The challenge of the return to constitutional order 8. Mali is gradually emerging from a severe, multidimensional crisis which led to the collapse of the State, with considerable political, economic, security-related, humanitarian, 4 GE.14-10118