Mali grants presidential pardon to French national sentenced to 20 years in prison

What the report says

Mali’s president, Assimi Goïta, has granted a presidential pardon to Yann Vézilier, a French national and embassy official who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison. France 24 reports that Malian authorities had accused him last year of involvement in a plot to destabilise the country, which has been ruled by a military junta since the 2020 and 2021 coups.

According to the Malian government statement cited by France 24, the pardon does not erase the findings of the court judgment. The statement also said Vézilier would be removed from Malian territory. France has said it considered the accusations unfounded.

The case had already strained relations between Mali and France, especially after Vézilier’s arrest last August. France responded at the time by suspending counter-terrorism cooperation and expelling Malian diplomats. The report says the French official was detained alongside several Malian officers, who remain untried and are accused of being part of an espionage and conspiracy network linked to an alleged attempt to undermine the government.

The pardon comes as Mali continues to face a severe security crisis involving jihadist violence and armed insurgencies. France 24 also reported that the Malian army announced the release of 82 soldiers held since attacks in April, underscoring the broader instability in the country.