On 27 October, a Bamako court sentenced former Prime Minister Moussa Mara to two years in prison—one of which is mandatory—along with a fine of XOF 500,000 (EUR 760). Mara, who served as prime minister from 2014 to 2015, was convicted of ‘undermining the credibility of the state’ and ‘opposing legitimate authority’ over a July social media post in which he expressed solidarity with detained opposition figures and vowed to seek justice. Arrested on 1 August, Mara has remained in custody since. His lawyer said they will appeal the ruling, which human rights groups condemned as politically motivated and part of a growing pattern of repression under Mali’s military-led government. The sentencing follows a broader crackdown that has seen opposition leaders, journalists and activists detained, amid what critics describe as shrinking civic space under Colonel Assimi Goïta’s rule. Moreover, country observers note that the case reflects a judiciary increasingly aligned with the junta’s political objectives, pointing to a broader weakening of judicial independence.

Sources: International IDEA, International Crisis Group, Punch, Amnesty International, Africa News, Jeune Afrique

On 22 September, the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger jointly announced their immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling it an ‘instrument of neo-colonial repression’. While the withdrawal will only take legal effect after one year, human rights groups warn the move significantly weakens access to justice, especially as credible domestic mechanisms for investigating atrocity crimes are lacking. The announcement follows a series of joint withdrawals by the three countries, including their coordinated exits the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025. ICC investigations into alleged war crimes in Mali are ongoing, and victims’ groups in Burkina Faso and Mali have recently filed complaints implicating national armies and foreign mercenaries in serious abuses. The three governments say they will instead pursue ‘indigenous mechanisms’ for justice, though observers say such systems do not yet exist in practice, raising concerns of rising impunity.

Sources: Bèki Takè, British Broadcasting Corporation, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, Radio France Internationale, International Federation for Human Rights

On 3 September, al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) declared a blockade on Kayes and Nioro, key western regions that provide critical trade corridors linking Bamako to Senegal, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire. On 14 September, JNIM militants attacked a convoy of over 100 vehicles under military escort, destroying at least 40 fuel tankers. The blockade has disrupted Mali’s fuel and goods imports, causing shortages and price spikes that threaten livelihoods and basic services in Bamako and other cities. Analysts warn that prolonged supply cuts could deepen economic hardship and trigger social unrest. The blockade marks an unprecedented extension of jihadist operations into areas nearly 1,000 km from their usual strongholds, testing the state’s capacity to protect critical supply routes and sustain essential trade. 

Update: In October, the blockade intensified, with JNIM militants torching a convoy of 50 tankers in Sikasso on 17 October and attacking another near Bamako on 28 October. Weekly fuel deliveries dropped to a fifth of normal volumes, triggering severe shortages that led to power cuts, school closures, slowed economic activity, and soaring transportation costs in the capital and across other towns in southern and western Mali.

Sources: International Crisis Group (1), Reuters, Jeune Afrique, Institute for Security Studies - Africa, International Crisis Group (2)

On 1 August, authorities arrested former Prime Minister (PM) Moussa Mara on charges of ‘damaging the state’s credibility’ after he expressed solidarity with jailed critics; his trial is set for 29 September. Separately, on 12 August, former PM Choguel Maïga—dismissed in 2024 for criticizing the junta—was detained and charged with embezzlement. The charges stem from an auditor general’s report alleging serious financial irregularities during his time in office, though no trial date has been set. The near-simultaneous prosecution of two former heads of government has raised concerns among political analysts about judicial independence, particularly amid broader efforts by the junta to suppress dissent. 

Sources: International Crisis Group, British Broadcasting Corporation, Radio France Internationale, Barron’s, Jeune Afrique, African Press Agency

On 25 August, a Bamako court suspended the enforcement of a decree issued in May that dissolved all political parties and affiliated organizations, pending a constitutional review. The ruling temporarily restores a legal framework for political activity and refers the case to the Supreme Court, which may transfer it to the Constitutional Court. The May decree, justified by authorities as a reform to reduce party fragmentation, had sparked domestic and international criticism for curbing political freedoms. The suspension follows months of postponed hearings and comes amid growing concerns over the junta’s concentration of power.

Sources: African Press Agency, International Crisis Group, Barron’s, Jeune Afrique, International IDEA

On 10 July, Mali’s transitional president General Assimi Goïta enacted a revised Transitional Charter granting himself a five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely until national ‘pacification’ is achieved. The new charter—adopted unanimously by the military-appointed National Transitional Council (CNT) on 3 July—extends the transition period well beyond its original end date of 26 March 2024 and allows Goïta, cabinet ministers, and CNT members to contest future elections. This development follows the junta’s earlier dissolution of all political parties in May and comes amid ongoing armed conflict, economic crisis, and growing repression of civil and political freedoms. While officials say elections could be held sooner if conditions permit, critics argue the charter entrenches military rule and delays a return to civilian governance.

Sources: France 24, British Broadcasting Corporation, African Press Agency News, Radio France Internationale, Africa News, International IDEA