FRANCE TV DOCUMENT. Escape attempts, messages from his relatives… The ex-hostage Olivier Dubois recounts his “difficult” conditions of detention

Abducted on April 8, 2021 in Gao, Mali, by the jihadists of the Al-Qaeda group in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqmi), Olivier Dubois, “who has been the longest-held journalist held hostage since the war in Lebanon”, according to Reporters Without Borders, was released on Monday 20 March. After 711 days of detention, the Frenchman was welcomed by Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday noon at the Villacoublay air base. Correspondent for the daily Release and the magazine Point, Olivier Dubois delivered a long interview to France 2, of which the “20 Hours” broadcasts extracts.

A radio to get some news

During his two years of captivity, Olivier Dubois managed to maintain a link with his loved ones. On the 8th of each month, he received radio messages of support from his family, relayed by Radio France internationale (RFI). “It was the most important day, the 8th, he confides. I remember, for the record, that I was given a small radio at the start (…) which was damaged, which I had to tweak and tinker with. I was suspended [à la radio] with a little sound, just to listen to the messages.”

“It has become indispensable. Otherwise you are abandoned and you are nothing.”

Olivier Dubois, ex-hostage

to France 2

If he considers that the messages from his son, his companion and his parents do not have him properly “Safe”he still believes that they helped him “to be strong, because there are people behind.”

In this interview, Olivier Dubois also reveals that he crossed paths with a South African during his captivity. Gerco Jacobus van Deventer, kidnapped in 2017 in Libya, is still being held hostage. “Between August 2, 2021 and March 14, 2023, we were together. (…) In the worst as in the best. We laughed together, we ate together. Unity is strength! They [les terroristes] are two or three, you are two, it balances out a bit.”

Three escape attempts

Regarding his conditions of detention, the French journalist confides that they were particularly difficult. If he claims to have been neither mistreated nor humiliated, he nevertheless claims to have been “chained”.

“Captivity in northern Mali, in the Kidal region, is difficult. You sleep on the ground, rain or shine. In the sand or in the dirt.”

Olivier Dubois, ex-hostage

to France 2

For “to take care” mind and body, Olivier Dubois has “put to sport” and has “asked to read the Koran to be able, not only to understand from the inside why [les jihadistes l’ont pris en otage]and then be able to debate with them”. And continue, “as much as possible, to do my job by collecting information”.

After a period “of disbelief”following his capture, the journalist, who then understands that he will be detained for an indefinite time, is only stretched towards one objective: to escape. “I commit three escapes, I come back each time for different reasonshe says. The first time because it was starting to rain, I had thorns under my feet and then I had finished my water. (…) I’m coming back because it’s not going well, it won’t work.”

The second time, he scouts to find a route. “In the night, I take off my chains, because they had no nuts. (…) I leave, it takes me a long time to find the road.” It is dark and Olivier Dubois is scared. Especially since the road on which he arrives is “full of branches”. He deduces that it is borrowed very little. At 2 o’clock in the morning, he gives up and therefore returns to his captors. On his third attempt, Olivier Dubois thinks it’s the right one.