A Malian lawmaker has been jailed in neighbouring Ivory Coast for three years for insulting the country's 84-year-old leader, Alassane Ouattara, who recently secured a fourth term in office.
Mamadou Hawa Gassama, a member of Mali's transitional parliament established by the military junta, was arrested last July during a visit to Ivory Coast.
Prosecutors stated that he referred to President Ouattara as a tyrant and an enemy of Mali, launching severe criticisms of his administration in interviews and across social media platforms.
The tension between Mali, which experienced a military takeover in 2020, and Ivory Coast has been considerable, particularly as Ouattara has been vocal against coups in West Africa and maintains close ties with France, the former colonial power of both nations.
Since Gassama's arrest, there has been silence from the authorities in Bamako regarding the incident.
We believe that this decision is... excessive... it is very severe, remarked Gassama's lawyer Mamadou Ismaila Konate.
Prosecutors contend that Gassama's comments exceeded the boundaries of acceptable political critique, arguing that his statements sought to create discord between Mali and Ivory Coast and undermine the latter's institutions.
This incident recalls the diplomatic row two years after the coup in Mali, where 49 Ivorian soldiers were sentenced to 20 years in prison under accusations of undermining state security; they were later released following mediation by Togo.
In the aftermath, Mali's military leaders have facilitated the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping forces and French troops that had been helping curtail an escalating jihadist insurgency since 2013. Instead, they have sought to establish closer relations with Russia and engaged Russian mercenaries to address security challenges across the Sahel region.
