Mali - October 2025

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

Between May and October, Mali faced a record surge in kidnappings of foreign nationals, with the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring NGO, documenting at least 22 to 26 abductions—nearly double the previous annual high of 13 in 2022. Most cases were attributed to al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which analysts said has made kidnapping a central pillar of its ‘economic jihad’ aimed at financing operations, deterring foreign investment and pressuring the ruling junta. Victims came from China, India, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and the Balkans, and one late-October incident reportedly involved a ransom of around USD 50 million for an Emirati hostage. JNIM also threatened foreign companies and intensified attacks on fuel convoys and industrial sites, prompting several embassies to advise citizens to leave Mali while the US and UK withdrew non-essential personnel.

Sources: ACLED, RFI, Africa News, AFP Factual