Trial opens for ex-Mali PM following social media post

A former Mali prime minister went on trial Monday in Bamako over charges that he undermined "the credibility of the state" following a social media post about visiting political prisoners.

Moussa Mara, who was prime minister for eight months from 2014 until 2015, was charged on August 1 following a post on X in July in which he said he met the prisoners and promised justice.

Mara, who has been in detention since being charged, arrived at the National Cybercrime Centre in the capital escorted by police officers, an AFP journalist saw.

His request for provisional release was rejected by a judge before the start of the hearing.

Mali is ruled by a military junta which came to power in back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Since then, the government has ramped up repression of its critics, including taking measures against the press and dissolving political parties.