Summary
A Malian lawmaker, Mamadou Hawa Gassama, has been sentenced to three years in prison in Ivory Coast for insulting President Alassane Ouattara. Gassama was arrested in July for calling Ouattara a "tyrant" and an "enemy of Mali" in interviews and social media. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Mali and Ivory Coast since Mali's military takeover in 2020.
Key Facts
- Mamadou Hawa Gassama, a Malian lawmaker, was jailed in Ivory Coast for three years.
- He was accused of insulting Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.
- Gassama called Ouattara a "tyrant" and criticized him publicly.
- Tensions have existed between Mali and Ivory Coast since Mali's military took over in 2020.
- Ivorian President Ouattara opposes the military coups in West Africa.
- Mali's government has not commented on Gassama's arrest and sentencing.
- Previously, a diplomatic conflict arose when 49 Ivorian soldiers were jailed in Mali but later freed.
- Mali has shifted alliances, seeking closer ties with Russia and removing UN and French forces.
