Malian appeal court upholds former PM Moussa Mara's prison sentence

A Malian appeal court has upheld the prison sentence of former prime minister Moussa Mara, convicted over social media posts expressing support for political prisoners.

Mara, who served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015, was charged last October with undermining the credibility of the state and opposing legitimate authority.

In July, he posted online that he had met detained political figures and promised them justice. He has been in prison since August 1.

On Monday, a judge in Bamako confirmed his sentence: two years in jail, one suspended, and a 500,000 CFA franc fine.

His lawyer says the legal fight is not over, vowing to appeal to Mali’s Supreme Court.

Mali has been ruled by a military junta since coups in 2020 and 2021. Since then, authorities have intensified a crackdown on dissent, targeting politicians, the media, and dissolving political parties.