Mali’s former Prime Minister Moussa Mara has been charged with undermining the credibility of the state, opposing legitimate authority, and inciting public disorder over a social media post.
Mara, who served as prime minister for nine months a decade ago, has been an outspoken critic of the country’s military government, which seized power in 2020 and 2021.
The charges stem from a July 4 post on X, where Mara expressed his “unwavering solidarity with prisoners of conscience” and vowed to fight for their release. The post was made after Mara visited detained opposition figures in prison.
The prosecutor argued that Mara’s words constituted an offense, and he was detained and questioned by the national cybercrime unit.
Mara’s trial is scheduled for September 29, and he faces serious penalties under Mali’s military penal code.
The case highlights the military government’s intolerance for dissent and the shrinking space for civil liberties in Mali.
The junta’s grip on power has been solidified by a recent five-year presidential term granted to Gen Assimi Goïta, who seized power twice and promised to hold elections that have yet to materialize.
