A Malian court on Monday jailed a political figure for making critical remarks against the military rulers of neighbouring Burkina Faso, a legal source and his family said.
Issa Kaou N'Djim, who previously supported Mali's transitional President General Assimi Goita before distancing himself, made the comments during a programme aired on local television station Joliba TV News.
He was sentenced by a court in the capital, Bamako, to two years in prison, one of which was suspended.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of a million CFA francs (more than 1,538 euros, $1,600) by the national anti-cybercrime office, the legal source said.
Six-month broadcasting ban
Mali authorities closed Joliba TV News in November because of the remarks and handed the private television station a six-month ban earlier this month.
Mali and Burkina Faso have been ruled by the military since coups in 2020 and 2022.
The military-led governments have taken repressive measures against the press, suspending a number of foreign media outlets and imprisoning or silencing journalists or critics.
Together with fellow junta-led Niger, they have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) confederation.
Six-month suspended prison sentence
N'Djim was one of the vice-presidents of the National Transitional Council (CNT), the legislative body of Mali's military rulers.
He later said he favoured a rapid end to the so-called transitional period intended to return power to elected civilians.
In December 2021, N'Djim was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence for "undermining the credit of the state", following comments deemed "subversive" on social media.
He was dismissed from the CNT and prevented from leaving the country on several occasions.
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