On Monday, Mali’s national cybercrime court convicted former Prime Minister Moussa Mara for posting a message online expressing solidarity with political prisoners in the country. This prosecution represents the military junta’s starkest expansion yet of its campaign against free expression.
Authorities arrested Mara in August after he publicly expressed his “unwavering solidarity with prisoners of conscience” following visits to jailed critics of the junta. He was charged with “undermining state authority” and “inciting public disorder.” The court sentenced Mara to two years in prison, with one year to be served without parole and the second year suspended.
While the conviction officially centers on his social media post, it carries far-reaching consequences. The case sends a chilling political message: even a former head of government is not safe from prosecution for speaking out against the regime.
Since the 2021 military coup led by Gen. Assimi Goïta, Mali’s junta has steadily expanded its control by dismantling accountability mechanisms and withdrawing from regional and international legal frameworks. The authorities have relied on expansive and vague charges—such as “undermining credibility” or “spreading false information”—to turn personal views and legitimate criticism into punishable offenses.
The use of the special cybercrime court in Mara’s case is another tool for the junta to control online speech and digital activism. What was once a space for “unwavering solidarity” with prisoners is now deemed a threat to the state.
Moussa Mara’s conviction is a stark affront to justice and highlights how Mali’s promise of democratic transition is increasingly out of reach. His case marks a significant milestone in the ongoing erosion of civic and media freedoms in the country and underscores the junta’s embrace of sweeping powers to silence dissent.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/10/29/convicted-in-mali-for-expressing-unwavering-solidarity
Be First to Comment