Mali Islamists becoming more repressive, report

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Radical Islamists in control of northern Mali are becoming “increasingly repressive,” amputating limbs, whipping people in the streets and stoning to death a couple accused of adultery, a human rights group said Tuesday.

The Islamists’ efforts to impose their strict form of Islamic law known as Shariah has also extended to banning ring tones on mobile phones that are not Quranic verse readings, as well as prohibiting cigarettes and alcohol.