Click to expand Image Former Mali Prime Minister Moussa Mara in Bamako, on February 21, 2025. The prosecution represents the military junta’s starkest expansion yet of its campaign against free expression. Authorities arrested Mara in August for expressing his “unwavering solidarity with prisoners of conscience” after he visited jailed critics of the junta and charged him with “undermining state authority” and “inciting public disorder.” The court sentenced him to two years in prison, one of which will be served without parole. The second year was suspended. The conviction of Mara, 50, has little to do with his social media post but will have important consequences. Authorities used the case to send a chilling political message: even a former head of government is not safe from prosecution for speaking out. The junta has made it clear that expansive and vague charges like “undermining credibility” or “spreading false information” can be manipulated to turn personal views and criticism into punishable offenses. And the use of the special cybercrime court is just one more way for the junta to control online speech and digital activism. Since the 2021 military coup led by Gen. Assimi Goïta, Mali’s junta has dismantled accountability mechanisms, including withdrawing Mali from regional and international legal frameworks. Now the space for “unwavering solidarity” for prisoners has been deemed a threat to the state. The affront to justice of Mara’s conviction shows that Mali’s promise of democratic transition is ever more distant. His case is just the latest indicator of shrinking civic and media space in Mali and a milestone marking the junta’s embrace of sweeping powers. The conviction comes as Mali faces increased attacks from Islamist armed groups, leading the government to temporally close all schools and universities. But banning political parties, arresting journalists and activists, dismantling legal channels for dissent, and now trampling free speech is not going to help the authorities address the country’s very real challenges.
Tag: accountability
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WASHINGTON Former House Leader Steney Hoyer (D-MD) warned this week that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could be slow-walking Congress into an era where he refuses to swear in more members of the Democratic caucus. Speaking to Raw Story on Thursday about Johnson’s refusal to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), Hoyer said that if Johnson hadn’t already sworn in two Republicans, he might have a valid argument. “It is a dictatorship,” said Hoyer. “You cannot do that. The people of Arizona elected her by a very substantial vote. And he won’t swear her in! This business of not swearing in a member of Congress. What if he decided in the next Congress, he’s an elected Speaker, and then he decides not to swear in 25% of our people?” Raw Story also spoke with Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Jim Banks (R-IN), all of whom dismissed the issue as either unimportant or claimed they don’t know who she is. “Nope,” Graham said simply when asked if he’d heard about Grijalva. “Who?” asked Scott when Raw Story mentioned her name. “They’re not in session.”Raw Story mentioned the two lawmakers from Florida who were also sworn in during a pro-forma session, which is how Grijalva would be sworn in if Johnson chose to. “I don’t know. I can’t imagine there’s any politics involved,” said Scott. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) added her name to the list of furious Democrats. “The people of her district are being denied representation,” Warren said, harkening back to the rallying cry from American colonists protesting British taxes. “The speaker of the House is too frightened to swear her in. That’s not how democracy works. There was an election. The election has been certified. She needs to be sworn in. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has been one of the outspoken voices from the Arizona delegation demanding that Grijalva be seated. He and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) confronted Johnson in the Capitol last week, demanding answers. Kelly recalled that Johnson had previously said he would swear in the winner of the race as soon as they wished. Now, however, he’s changed his story. He also agreed it was related to the discharge petition that would be approved if Grijalva were sworn in. A discharge petition would mandate a vote on a measure that would require the Justice Department to release the investigation files of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. As it stands, the petition requires one additional vote to bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote. “He should embrace the term rip off the bandaid,” quipped Kelly, noting that Johnson will eventually be forced to swear Grijalva into her seat and that the discharge petition is coming even if he wants to stop it. “Just get it done and over with. But there are a lot of women out there who deserve for there to be some accountability,” said Kelly.
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