Mali sentences French intelligence agent to 20 years, Paris calls it baseless

Diplomatic dispute – A French intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Malian court for “undermining state security,” a ruling Paris immediately condemned as baseless.

On Friday, judges at the terrorism-focused criminal chamber of Mali’s judicial system handed down the sentence against the Frenchman, who had been held in Bamako for nearly ten months. The officer was convicted of conspiracy against state institutions and received an additional 20-year ban from entering Mali, along with a fine of approximately 5,400 euros, according to judicial sources.

The agent, identified as Yann V., was arrested on August 13, 2025, during an operation by Mali’s State Security (SE) intelligence service. He was officially assigned to the French embassy in Bamako but was captured alongside several officers from the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa).

Closed-door trial

The trial took place on Thursday behind closed doors, with the verdict announced the following day. The Malian officers detained with him, who have since been discharged from service, have not yet faced judgment. They are accused of running an espionage network and plotting to destabilize Mali’s transition government in order to stage a coup.

France’s foreign ministry has rejected the allegations, calling them “unfounded” and demanding the immediate release of the officer. The case adds to already strained relations between Mali’s junta-led government and France, its former colonial power.