Former Mali prime minister, Moussa Mara, will spend one year in prison after a Bamako court sentenced him on Monday following a social media post supporting political prisoners.

His punishment for “undermining the credibility of the state and opposing legitimate authority” additionally includes a one-year suspended sentence.

Mara, who was prime minister for eight months from 2014 until 2015, has been in prison since August 1 on charges following his July social media post in which he said he had met with political prisoners and promised justice.

Mara listened impassively on Monday as the National Cybercrime Centre court in Bamako handed down his sentence, an AFP reporter observed.

Prosecutors had requested the 24-month judgment.

The former head of the Malian government must also pay a 500,000 CFA franc ($887) fine.

“It’s not over,” Mara’s lawyer, Mountaga Tall, told AFP, adding, “We will consult with our client and decide on the next steps.”

A close friend of the former prime minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, told AFP he was not surprised by the decision: “We expected it… Tell me what his crime is?”

Mali is ruled by a military junta, which came to power in back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Since then, the government has ramped up repression of its critics, including taking measures against the press and dissolving political parties.

AFP