Mali lawmaker jailed in Ivory Coast for insulting president

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 75% complete January 30, 2026 at 07:09 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Malian lawmaker Mamadou Hawa Gassama was sentenced to three years in jail in Ivory Coast for insulting Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara. Gassama, a member of Mali's transitional parliament, was arrested in Ivory Coast in July after criticizing Ouattara's leadership in interviews and on social media, calling him a "tyrant" and "enemy of Mali." Prosecutors argued Gassama's remarks aimed to undermine Ivorian institutions and create discord between the two countries. The jailing highlights strained relations between Mali and Ivory Coast since Mali's 2020 military coup, as Ouattara has been critical of the takeover. Gassama's lawyer called the sentence "excessive."

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Russia 40% Abidjan 40% Bamako 40% UN 40% Mamadou Ismaila Konate 50% France 60% Alassane Ouattara ×280% Mamadou Hawa Gassama ×490% Ivory Coast ×490% Mali ×690%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

BBC News - World

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Ivory Coast

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).