A court in Bamako, the capital of Mali, has sentenced former Prime Minister Moussa Mara to one year in prison for a social media post in which he expressed solidarity with political prisoners a decision widely condemned as evidence of the junta’s growing intolerance of dissent.
Mara, who served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015, was found guilty on Monday of “undermining the credibility of the state and opposing legitimate authority.” The court imposed a one-year prison sentence, an additional one-year suspended term, and a fine of 500,000 CFA francs (about $887).
The charges stemmed from a July social media post in which Mara said he had met with political detainees and vowed to pursue justice for them. Authorities claimed the post questioned the legitimacy of Mali’s current military government, led by Colonel Assimi Goita.
Mara has been in detention since August 1, and his lawyer, Mountaga Tall, has announced plans to appeal the ruling. “This is not the end,” Tall told AFP. “We will discuss with our client and determine the next course of action.”
An associate of Mara, speaking anonymously, criticised the verdict, asking, “What exactly is his crime?”
Observers say the ruling reflects a broader crackdown on dissent under Mali’s military leadership. Since coming to power through coups in 2020 and 2021, Col. Goita’s junta has tightened restrictions on political activity, delayed a promised return to civilian rule, and targeted critics and opposition figures.
Human rights groups have repeatedly accused the government of stifling free speech and eroding democratic freedoms. Mara’s conviction, they warn, is the latest in a series of politically motivated actions aimed at silencing independent voices in the West African nation.
