Mali has granted a presidential pardon to French national Yann Vezilier, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly plotting to destabilise the Government of President Assimi Goïta. Vezilier was accused of working on behalf of the French intelligence service alongside Malian army generals, soldiers and civilians in an alleged attempt to overthrow the junta. France has rejected the allegations as unfounded.
The Malian Government announced the pardon on Thursday, saying the decision did not overturn the facts established during Vezilier’s trial.
It added that he would be immediately expelled from Mali. The case has further strained relations between Mali and France, its former colonial power, amid a broader deterioration in diplomatic ties following the military takeover led by Goïta in 2021.
Mali has also faced a worsening security crisis since 2012, with Islamist militant groups continuing to carry out attacks despite military efforts to contain the insurgency.
Political tensions have intensified in recent months. In April 2026, Mali’s Defence minister was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing near Bamako, after which Goïta assumed the defence portfolio. In May 2026, the junta dissolved all political parties following anti-government protests. Goïta had previously promised elections within two years of seizing power, but no elections have been held.