A Malian court on Monday sentenced political figure Issa Kaou N’Djim to two years in prison, one of which was suspended, following critical remarks he made about the military rulers of neighboring Burkina Faso. N’Djim, who had initially supported Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goita, distanced himself from the regime in recent years. His comments were made during a televised interview on Joliba TV News, which aired on a local channel.
The court in Bamako also imposed a fine of one million CFA francs (approximately $1,600) on N’Djim, as ordered by the national anti-cybercrime office. The remarks that led to the court case were critical of Burkina Faso’s military junta, which, like Mali, has been grappling with security issues and political instability after a 2022 coup. The government of Mali responded swiftly, with the authorities shutting down Joliba TV News in November 2023 and issuing a six-month ban earlier this month for airing the controversial remarks.
N’Djim’s conviction highlights the increasingly repressive atmosphere in Mali, where military regimes have clamped down on dissent and free speech. The country, under junta rule since 2020, has seen a pattern of crackdowns on media outlets, journalists, and political opponents. N’Djim’s jailing follows a troubling series of events, including the disappearance of opposition leader Ibrahim Naby Togola, who was reportedly abducted by armed individuals just days before the court ruling. Togola, a prominent figure in the opposition platform “Call of February 20, 2023 to Save Mali,” had been scheduled to hold a press briefing on the day of his abduction. His disappearance has sparked protests from his party, which is calling for his “immediate and unconditional release.”
Both Mali and Burkina Faso are facing similar political and security crises, with their military-led governments employing repressive tactics against the press. Journalists and critics have been jailed or silenced, and foreign media outlets have faced suspensions in both nations. Together with Niger, which has also been under military rule since a 2023 coup, the three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), further solidifying their collective stance on governance and security.
N’Djim, who had served as one of the vice-presidents of Mali’s National Transitional Council (CNT), has long been a controversial figure in the country’s political landscape. He was previously sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence in 2021 for “undermining the credit of the state” after making subversive comments on social media. His latest legal troubles mark another chapter in Mali’s ongoing struggle with free expression and political dissent under military rule.
