Moussa Mara, Mali’s former prime minister, has been charged with “undermining the credibility of the state” after a social media post expressing support for political prisoners detained by the country’s military government.
Mara, who briefly served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015, was arrested following a July 4 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which he shared details of a visit to imprisoned government critics and vowed to fight for justice, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“As long as the night lasts, the sun will obviously appear!” Mara wrote. “We will fight by all means for this to happen as soon as possible!”
Prosecutors said the post was grounds to charge Mara with undermining state authority, inciting public disorder, and spreading false information. He remains in custody, with his trial scheduled for September 29.
Mara’s lawyers strongly condemned the charges and detention, calling them politically motivated. “He is being punished for showing compassion to political prisoners,” said Abdoulaye Yaro, a close associate of Mara.
The case comes amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent by Mali’s military rulers, who seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021. Under the leadership of General Assimi Goita, the junta has dissolved political parties and extended its grip on power, recently granting Goita an additional five-year term despite earlier promises of a return to civilian rule by March 2024.
“This prosecution is part of a broader effort to silence opposition voices,” said Mountaga Tall, a member of Mara’s legal team.
Mali, located in Africa’s Sahel region, has faced mounting political unrest, armed conflict, and a democratic backslide over the past decade — mirroring instability across much of West and Central Africa.
