Malian court imposes 20-year prison term on french diplomat for state security breach
A French national, arrested in August 2025 by Mali’s military junta on charges of conspiring against national institutions, has been sentenced to a 20-year prison term. The verdict was handed down by the criminal chamber of the specialized counter-terrorism court, marking a significant development in Sahel current affairs.
Judicial proceedings in Mali culminated in the conviction of a French intelligence agent, who held diplomatic status and had been held in detention for nearly ten months in the capital, Bamako. The agent received a 20-year prison sentence for “undermining the security of the State” in this Sahelian nation, which is presently under the governance of a junta.