A Malian politician has been sentenced to three years in prison in Ivory Coast after being accused of making insulting remarks against the country’s president, highlighting lingering diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours.
Mamadou Hawa Gassama, who serves in Mali’s transitional parliament following the military takeover in 2020, was detained in Abidjan last July during an official visit.
Authorities said he publicly called President Alassane Ouattara a “tyrant” and “an enemy of Mali,” sharply criticising his leadership in both interviews and social media posts.
Prosecutors told the court that Gassama’s statements went beyond political disagreement, alleging they were intended to weaken Ivorian state institutions and strain relations between Ivory Coast and Mali.
Gassama’s lawyer expressed disappointment at the verdict. “We believe that this decision is... excessive... it is very severe,” AFP quoted Mamadou Ismaila Konate as saying.
The ruling comes amid a period of tense relations since Mali’s military seized power. President Ouattara, known for his alliance with France, has openly condemned coups in the region, a stance that has caused friction with Bamako.
No comment has come from Mali’s authorities regarding the case since Gassama’s arrest last year.
Observers note the incident echoes earlier conflicts between the two countries, including the 2023 sentencing of 49 Ivorian soldiers to 20 years in Mali on accusations of threatening state security.
Ivory Coast denied the charges, stating the soldiers were part of a UN mission fighting militant Islamists, and they were later released after mediation led by Togo.
Since the coup, Mali has also seen the exit of UN peacekeepers and French forces that were deployed in 2013 to curb jihadist attacks. The country has instead strengthened ties with Russia, bringing in mercenaries to help manage insecurity across the Sahel region.
