Abderhamane Keita, an editor at the daily Le Temoin newspaper, was arrested in early June and prosecuted for allegedly “undermining national unity and the credibility of the state” and “publishing and disseminating false or misleading information.”
Keita was accused of making the comments during a TV programme focused on Mali’s security situation, where he reportedly said the northern city of Kidal was being run by the leader of the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
He appeared before the country’s national cybercrime unit last week, with the verdict announced on Monday.
Keita’s lawyer told AFP that the journalist would appeal the decision.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the conviction, describing it as “unjust” and a “new way of criminalising journalism.”
The organisation’s head for sub-Saharan Africa, Sadibou Marong, said the sentence “sends out a particularly troubling signal to media professionals in Mali and the region.”
RSF also called on Malian authorities to “put an end to the use of the justice system against journalists.”
Mali has faced a severe security crisis since 2012, with jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, criminal gangs and armed separatists contributing to continued violence.
The country has been ruled by a military junta since successive coups in 2020 and 2021. In recent years, the authorities have introduced several measures targeting the press and critical voices, while also dissolving political parties and banning political activities by associations.
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