Former Mali Prime Minister Moussa Mara has been sentenced to two years in prison following his criticism of the country’s military-led government on social media, his lawyer confirmed on Monday.
According to attorney Mountaga Tall, who shared the update on platform X, Mara was also fined 500,000 CFA francs (approximately $887). The former leader had accused Mali’s ruling junta of restricting democratic freedoms after it dissolved political parties and extended its rule by five years without holding elections.
Human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the ruling, describing it as part of a broader campaign to silence opposition voices. The group highlighted multiple cases where journalists and activists were arrested for speaking out against the military authorities.
“The government should end its suppression of peaceful critics instead of deepening authoritarian control,” Amnesty said in a statement.
Officials from Mali’s government have yet to comment on the verdict, and the prosecution’s legal representatives were unavailable for response.
Meanwhile, the junta continues to grapple with a worsening security crisis as Al-Qaeda-linked militants intensify attacks. In recent weeks, insurgents have disrupted fuel supplies to the landlocked country, prompting school closures expected to last until mid-November.
Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara has been declared winner of Ivory Coast’s presidential election, paving way for him to serve a fourth-term of office in the world’s biggest cocoa-producing nation.
Source:Africa Publicity
