In Djenné (Mali) there is the big famous mud mosque, which could be
visited by tourists until some years ago. Then, according to Ross
Velton: Mali, The Bradt Travel Guide, a French photographer shoot some
“indecent” pictures for a fashion magazine inside the mosque. (Other
guidebooks blame an US magazine/photographer). Since then no tourist
are allowed inside anymore.
Question: When have these pictures been taken, in which magazine have
they been published and where can I find these pictures on the
Internet?

Hi wo! 

I submitted this as an answer now that you confirmed that it is
acceptable as one. Thank you for your comment and good luck with any
further inquiries.

---

Thank you for this question. I had never heard about this mosque
before and was surprised at the beautiful architecture! Definitely a
place I would like to see with my own eyes. No wonder the UNESCO
declared it a "World Heritage Site" in 1998.
 
The pictures you are asking about were done by a team working for the
French "Vogue" Fashion Magazine. The work took place 1996 (
http://www.koutayba.com/Architectural/MT/TheGreatMosque-djenne.html ).
 
The site "Mud Mosque in Djenne, Mali, West Africa" (
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~lhopcraft/slides/fimage11.htm ) has this to
say about the photo shooting:
"Infidels used to be welcome to enter the mosque but in 1996
permission was granted to French Vogue for a fashion shoot inside the
building.
The insensitive photographs of semi-naked women horrified the mullahs
and non believers have been denied access ever since."
 
I have posted this as a comment, because I was not able to find the
pictures on the net. In fact I have a strong suspicion that after the
protest of the local population they probably were never published.
 
If you would consider this an answer, please tell me and I will post
it as one. Otherwise this might help one of my colleagues to get
started!
 
Sincerely, 
voyager-ga 
 
Additional Resources: 
 
Lonely Planet World Guide: Destination Mali 
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/mali/obt.htm 
 
Djenne: City of Tourism 
http://www.econ.uiuc.edu/~hanko/Mali/mali19.html  
 
UNESCO reports and pictures (French) 
http://www.unesco.org/courier/2000_04/pdf/fr/03.pdf 
 
Search Terms: 
 
Djenné Mali 
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Djenn%E9+Mali 
 
Djenné Mali vogue 
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Djenn%E9+Mali+vogue

Probably the best answer I can get. If the pictures I am looking for
are not in the Internet then they can´t be found.

Hi wo!

Thank you for this question. I had never heard about this mosque
before and was surprised at the beautiful architecture! Definitely a
place I would like to see with my own eyes. No wonder the UNESCO
declared it a "World Heritage Site" in 1998.

The pictures you are asking about were done by a team working for the
French "Vogue" Fashion Magazine. The work took place 1996 (
http://www.koutayba.com/Architectural/MT/TheGreatMosque-djenne.html ).

The site "Mud Mosque in Djenne, Mali, West Africa" (
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~lhopcraft/slides/fimage11.htm ) has this to
say about the photo shooting:
"Infidels used to be welcome to enter the mosque but in 1996
permission was granted to French Vogue for a fashion shoot inside the
building.
The insensitive photographs of semi-naked women horrified the mullahs
and non believers have been denied access ever since."

I have posted this as a comment, because I was not able to find the
pictures on the net. In fact I have a strong suspicion that after the
protest of the local population they probably were never published.

If you would consider this an answer, please tell me and I will post
it as one. Otherwise this might help one of my colleagues to get
started!

Sincerely,
voyager-ga

Additional Resources:

Lonely Planet World Guide: Destination Mali
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/mali/obt.htm

Djenne: City of Tourism
http://www.econ.uiuc.edu/~hanko/Mali/mali19.html 

UNESCO reports and pictures (French)
http://www.unesco.org/courier/2000_04/pdf/fr/03.pdf

Search Terms:

Djenné Mali
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Djenn%E9+Mali

Djenné Mali vogue
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Djenn%E9+Mali+vogue

Yes voyager had a good grasp on the subject. I would like to add a few
more words.

http://www.koutayba.com/Architectural/MT/TheGreatMosque-djenne.html
says that it was in 1996 that a photographer from a French fashion
magazine too "un-decent" shots in the mosque.
Vogue ... the magazine that caused local people to stop non-muslims
from entering into mosque, has so many regional titles.

but http://www.econ.uiuc.edu/~hanko/Mali/mali19.html says 
"The mosque is barred from all non-muslims, following an incident in
the 1980’s in which Vogue staged a photo shoot that offended the
community deeply."
and the mosque was re-built in 1907.

http://web.onetel.net.uk/~lhopcraft/slides/fimage11.htm says 
"The insensitive photographs of semi-naked women horrified the mullahs
and non believers have been denied access ever since."


Pictures:-
All the workout, I did gave me a strong idea that at least the
photographs had been published.

I did search using most of the engines but could not get back issues
of Vogue or photographs on the.
but the following link can give you inside into 1996 to 1997 Vogue
(american edition)
http://www.iluvmags.com/vogue96-02.html
if you want french back issues of Vogue, you may get it on
www.vogueparis.com/en/vente.asp?n=3

for photographs I also cotacted local distributor of Vogue, but they
did not have that old issues.
You may find one in your area.
hope that this comment would add a little more.

Thank you voyager-ga and khofa-ga. Yes I do regard this as an answer.
I will now try to find these issues of the vogue magazine. )Our
national libary should have all issues.)
wo