Former Mali Prime Minister Moussa Mara has been sentenced to one year in prison by a Bamako court over a social media post supporting political prisoners.

The court also handed down a one-year suspended sentence, ruling that Mara’s actions amounted to “undermining the credibility of the state and opposing legitimate authority.” Mara, who led Mali for eight months between 2014 and 2015, has been in detention since August 1 after posting in July that he had met with political prisoners and vowed to pursue justice on their behalf.

AFP reporters said Mara remained calm as the National Cybercrime Centre court delivered the verdict on Monday. Prosecutors had initially sought a 24-month prison term.

In addition to the prison sentence, Mara must pay a fine of 500,000 CFA francs ($887).

“It’s not over,” Mara’s lawyer, Mountaga Tall, told AFP. “We will consult with our client and decide on the next steps.”

A close associate of Mara, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said the verdict was anticipated. “We expected it… What exactly is his crime?” the friend said.

Mali has been governed by a military junta since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021. The government has since intensified crackdowns on dissent, targeting the press and dissolving political parties.