Amnesty International has sharply condemned the two-year prison sentence handed to former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara, including one year of actual imprisonment and a symbolic fine of 500,000 West African CFA francs (€762) – with just one franc paid to the Malian state – for alleged offenses such as damaging the state’s reputation. The human rights organization is calling for his immediate release, alongside all others detained solely for exercising their political opinions.
According to Marceau Sivieude, Regional Director for Amnesty International in West and Central Africa, “This verdict exposes Mali’s ongoing disregard for its constitutional and international human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
He emphasized, “Instead of silencing dissenting voices, the authorities must end the escalating crackdown on peaceful opposition and authoritarian practices. All individuals currently held for expressing their views must be freed without delay. The government must respect and uphold the rights of all Malians, including freedom of expression, assembly, and peaceful protest.”
Moussa Mara, who served as Prime Minister from April 2014 to January 2015 and leads the opposition party Yéléma, was arrested on August 1 following a tweet expressing solidarity with detained activists and political figures. In the post, he referenced the ‘night’ and vowed to fight ‘by all means’ for the sun to rise again.
The Malian authorities must stop weaponizing arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and the misuse of the criminal justice system to silence peaceful critics.
Marceau Sivieude, Regional Director for Amnesty International in West and Central Africa
Recent cases of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances
Journalists and activists have increasingly become targets in the government’s campaign to suppress dissenting voices.
On May 8, 2025, El Béchir Thiam, a journalist and member of Yéléma, was abducted by masked individuals claiming to be intelligence agents. This occurred a day after he publicly criticized the transitional parliament’s decision to grant the military government an additional five-year mandate. His whereabouts were unknown for months, with authorities neither acknowledging his detention nor disclosing any information. His wife filed a complaint on July 17, and he was finally released on September 26.
Clément Dembélé, an anti-corruption activist and leader of the Platform Against Corruption and Unemployment, was arrested in November 2023. Authorities accused him of threatening the life of transitional President Assimi Goïta and his family, following his planned press conference to denounce persistent power cuts. In April 2025, a judge dismissed the charges and ordered his release, yet Dembélé remains arbitrarily detained.
The UN Independent Expert on Mali has repeatedly condemned the enforced disappearance of El Béchir Thiam and the arbitrary arrest of Clément Dembélé, urging their immediate and unconditional release.
“The Malian government must cease its reliance on arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and abusive prosecutions to stifle peaceful opposition,” Sivieude stated. “It must ensure fair trials and uphold the rule of law.”
Suppression of critical voices since 2023
Several prominent critics have faced silencing tactics in recent years.
Rokiatou Doumbia, also known as Rose Vie Chère or Tantie Rose, was arrested in March 2023 after publicly denouncing deteriorating security conditions and rising living costs following the 2020 military takeover. Charged with “inciting rebellion,” “damaging state credit,” and “criminal association,” she was sentenced to one year in prison in August 2023. Though she completed her sentence, she remains arbitrarily detained.
In March 2023, radio host and activist Mohamed Youssouf Bathily, nicknamed Ras Bath, was arrested after calling the death in custody of former Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga an “assassination.” In August 2023, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for “simulated offense” – essentially for accusing the state of wrongdoing. After serving his sentence, he was re-indicted on additional charges including “criminal association,” “damaging state credit,” and “regionalist, racist, and religious crimes,” and remains in pretrial detention.
In September 2023, activist and National Transitional Council member Adama Diarra, known as Ben le Cerveau, was arrested after calling for a return to civilian constitutional rule. Accused of “damaging state credit,” he was sentenced to two years in prison. In February 2025, a provisional release request was denied, and he continues to be held arbitrarily.
Issa Kaou N’Djim, another former National Transitional Council member, was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2024 after questioning the validity of a statement by Burkinabè authorities regarding a coup attempt. He was arrested following a complaint from Burkina Faso and charged with “publicly insulting a foreign head of state.”
Background
Mali has been under military rule since the 2020 coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. The originally 18-month transition period has been extended three times, most recently in April 2025 when the government dissolved all political parties and extended the transition for another five years.
