On 14 September 2026, the National Cybercrime Court (Pôle national de lutte contre la cybercriminalité) in Bamako sentenced Abdrahamane Keïta, Publication Director of the weekly Le Témoin, to three years in prison, with two years to be served and one suspended.
He was also ordered to pay 1 million CFA francs (about USD 1,760) in damages to the state.
Keïta was charged with “an offense of a regionalist nature tending to undermine national unity and the credibility of the state” and “publishing and disseminating false information through an information system.”
The charges stemmed from Keïta’s appearance on the television programme “Grand Jury”, broadcast on Renouveau TV on 4 June 2026. During the programme, he stated that Kidal, a major city in northern Mali, was under the control of Iyad Ag Ghali, leader of the jihadist armed group, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
Keïta was summoned by the National Cybercrime Unit on 9 June 2026, over the remarks. Following questioning, he was remanded in custody pending trial, which was initially scheduled for 17 August. The proceedings were subsequently adjourned several times before the trial opened on 7 September.
During the hearing, Keïta denied the charges, arguing that his remarks had been taken out of context and describing the case against him as a “plot.” His lawyers called for his acquittal, arguing that the remarks did not amount to undermining the credibility of the state or the dissemination of false information.
The prosecution requested a three-year sentence, two of them to be served and one suspended. They also requested 1.5 million CFA francs (about USD 2,640) in damages. The court subsequently reduced the amount to 1 million CFA francs (about USD 1,760).
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns Keïta’s imprisonment and calls on the Malian authorities to overturn this conviction and release him. We also reiterate our call on the authorities to end the use of cybercrime legislation to criminalise journalistic work and the legitimate exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and press freedom.
