Mali’s transitional government has granted a presidential pardon to a French national who was serving a 20-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government, authorities announced on Thursday.
Yann Vezilier was convicted last year of attempting to destabilise the government of President Assimi Goïta. Malian authorities accused him of acting “on behalf of the French intelligence service” alongside several army generals and dozens of soldiers.
“His Excellency General of the Army Assimi Goïta, President of the Transition, Head of State, has granted a presidential pardon to Mr. Yann Christian Bernard Vezilier, a French national, who was sentenced by Malian justice to twenty (20) years of criminal imprisonment for undermining the external security of the State,” the government said in a statement published on Facebook.
Authorities did not provide a reason for the decision.
‘Commitment to peace’
The statement also commended General of the Army Assimi Goïta “for this act of clemency which demonstrates once again his commitment to peace and dialogue, as well as to the ancestral values of forgiveness, hospitality, and greatness that characterise our culture.”
France’s foreign ministry had not commented on the pardon by Thursday. Paris has previously rejected claims that Vezilier was operating in Mali as a French intelligence agent, describing the allegations as “unfounded”.
The Malian government added: “This pardon measure, which does not call into question the facts established by an adversarial judgment rendered during a trial in which all defense rights were respected, is accompanied by the immediate removal of the individual concerned from national territory.”
Mali, a former French colony, has faced a prolonged security crisis since 2012, driven by armed terror groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh.
‘On behalf of the French intelligence’
At the time of his arrest and prosecution, authorities alleged that Vezilier had acted “on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilised political leaders, civil society actors and military personnel” in Mali.
The country continues to grapple with political tensions and security challenges despite efforts by the military-led government to restore stability.
In April, Mali’s defence minister was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing targeting his residence near the capital, Bamako.
