A two-year prison sentence, including one year without parole and a fine of 500,000 West African CFA francs (€762, with €1 symbolic for the Malian state), handed to former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara for accusations such as damaging the state’s reputation, is nothing short of a mockery of justice, Amnesty International has warned. The organization is calling for his immediate release, alongside all individuals detained solely for expressing their political views.
« The conviction and sentence imposed on Moussa Mara reflect the Malian authorities’ persistent disregard for the country’s constitutional obligations regarding human rights, as well as their failure to uphold the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Mali is a signatory, » stated Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
« Rather than silencing critical voices, the government must end its escalating crackdown on peaceful opposition and authoritarian practices. All individuals currently detained for merely voicing their opinions must be freed immediately. Authorities are obligated to respect and uphold the fundamental rights of every citizen in Mali, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. »
Moussa Mara, who served as Prime Minister from April 2014 to January 2015 and leads the opposition party Yéléma, was arrested on August 1st and charged with « damaging the state’s reputation, » « inciting public disorder, » and « opposing legitimate authority. » His arrest followed a July 4th tweet in which he expressed solidarity with detained activists and politicians, vowing to fight « by all means » to ensure « the sun rises » again.
The authorities must stop relying on arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and the abusive use of the criminal justice system to silence peaceful dissent in Mali.
Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa
Recent cases of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances
Journalists and activists have been systematically targeted in a broader campaign to suppress dissenting voices in Mali.
On May 8, 2025, journalist El Béchir Thiam, a member of Moussa Mara’s Yéléma party, was abducted by masked men claiming to be intelligence agents. The abduction occurred a day after Thiam publicly condemned a parliamentary decision granting the military government a new five-year mandate. His whereabouts and detention conditions remained unknown for months, as authorities neither acknowledged his detention nor provided any information. His wife filed a complaint for abduction on July 17, and he was finally released and permitted to return home on September 26.
Activist Clément Dembélé, known for his anti-corruption work, was arrested in November 2023 while preparing a press conference with his organization, the Platform Against Corruption and Unemployment, to denounce recurring power cuts in the country. He was charged with threatening the life of transitional leader Assimi Goïta and his family. In April 2025, an investigating judge dismissed the charges and ordered his release, yet Dembélé remains arbitrarily detained.
In August and September 2025, the UN Independent Expert on Mali condemned the enforced disappearance of El Béchir Thiam and the arbitrary detention of Clément Dembélé, urging their immediate and unconditional release.
« The authorities must cease using arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and the criminal justice system as tools to silence peaceful opponents in Mali. They must ensure fair trials and uphold the rule of law, » Sivieude emphasized.
Other critical voices silenced since 2023
Rokiatou Doumbia, widely known as « Rose Vie Chère » or « Tantie Rose, » was arrested in March 2023 for criticizing the deteriorating security situation and rising cost of living following the military takeover. She faced charges of « inciting rebellion, » « damaging the state’s reputation, » and « criminal association, » and 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 of former Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maïga—who died in detention—an « assassination. » In August 2023, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison on appeal for « false accusation of a crime. » Despite serving his sentence, Ras Bath was re-indicted in September 2023 on additional charges including « criminal association, » « damaging the state’s reputation, » and « regionalist, racist, and religious crimes » related to the same case, and remains in pretrial detention.
In September 2023, activist and transitional council member Adama Diarra, known as « Ben le Cerveau, » was arrested after calling for a return to civilian constitutional rule. He was charged with « damaging the state’s reputation » and sentenced to two years in prison. In February 2025, his lawyers’ request for provisional release was denied, and he continues to be arbitrarily detained.
Issa Kaou N’Djim, a former transitional council member, was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2024 after questioning the validity of a statement from Burkinabé authorities regarding an alleged coup attempt. N’Djim was arrested following a complaint by Burkinabé officials and charged with « public insult of a foreign head of state. »
Background
The Malian government has been under military rule since the 2020 coup against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. The originally planned 18-month transition has been extended multiple times, and in April 2025, the government announced the dissolution of all political parties and an additional five-year extension of the transition period.
