Mali charges ex-PM Moussa Mara with undermining the state in X post
On Thursday, Mara was detained and questioned for a second time by the national cybercrime unit about his 4 July X post.In the post, the ex-prime minister said his regular visits to see those detained were to make sure that "the flame of hope never fades in them"."As long as the night lasts, the sun will inevitably rise! And we will fight by all means to make that happen, and as soon as possible!" he added.The prosecutor at the cybercrime unit said that talking about "prisoners of conscience" and saying he wanted to fight for them constituted an offence, Radio France Internationale reports.On Friday, along with the accusation of undermining the credibility of the state, he was also charged with opposing legitimate authority and inciting public disorder.He is due to stand trial on 29 September.A month ago, military leader Gen Assimi Goïta was granted a five-year presidential term by the transitional parliament, which is renewable without elections.The 41-year-old, who seized power twice, was named transitional president after the 2021 coup.At the time he promised to hold elections the following year - but has since reneged, in a blow to efforts to restore multi-party rule in the West African state.
You may also be interested in:
How an al-Qaeda offshoot became one of Africa's deadliest militant groupsHow 'blood gold' is fuelling conflict in West AfricaMali signs trade deal with Russia as ties strengthen
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Boris Johnson hails US plan to deport hundreds of illegal migrants to Rwanda
The US has agreed a deal to deport hundreds of illegal migrants to Rwanda. Washington has already sent an initial list of ten people to be vetted as part of President Donald Trump 's bid to tackle illegal immigration. Under the terms of the deal, Rwanda will accept up to 250 migrants in exchange for payment – in an agreement similar to that brokered by Boris Johnson. When he was prime minister, Mr Johnson agreed a deal with Kigali under which anyone who entered Britain illegally would be sent to Rwanda. But due to legal challenges, no migrants had been successfully deported by the time Keir Starmer won the election last year. Sir Keir's first act as the incoming Labour PM was to scrap the scheme. Since then, small-boat arrivals have increased dramatically. As of July 30, more than 25,000 people had crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025 – a figure about 50 per cent higher than it was at the same point in 2024. Mr Johnson said that Sir Keir had scrapped the scheme out of 'Left-wing spite' and should reinstate it. He told the Daily Mail: 'Here is proof, if ever it were needed, that Starmer was very sadly misguided in abandoning the Rwanda scheme. 'It would certainly have worked and it would have scuppered the cross-Channel gangs. 'It is heartbreaking to see other countries now taking advantage – yet again – of ideas pioneered by Britain. 'Starmer scrapped Rwanda purely out of Left-wing spite – and he should restore it as soon as possible.' The White House has not yet commented. But commenting on the deal yesterday, Kigali said that it would accept migrants under certain conditions and rehome them. 'Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation,' said Rwandan government spokesman Yolande Makolo. 'Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement. President Donald Trump listens as Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe speaks during a event with Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, June 27, 2025, in the Oval Office 'Those approved will be provided with workforce training, healthcare and accommodation support to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade.' In June, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deport migrants to third countries, though there are continuing lawsuits. The President has vowed to deport millions of illegal immigrants to third countries. Mr Trump has already struck similar deals with South Sudan and Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. In March, he deported more than 200 Venezuelans accused of being gang members to El Salvador.
The Guardian
31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The west ignores Rwanda's dark side – and political prisoners like my mother pay the price
When I see the 'Visit Rwanda' logo stitched on to the jerseys of famous football clubs like Arsenal or printed in glossy travel magazines, I feel a rush of pride for the natural beauty and warm hospitality of the country of my birth. Yet, I wonder whether the tourists being courted truly understand the darker side of Rwanda. This side has torn my family apart for nearly two decades; it is the reason my mother sits behind bars, once again, as a political prisoner. My mother, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, is a political activist who first returned to Rwanda from exile in 2010. Our family had a stable and comfortable life in the Netherlands for many years, but my mother could not stop thinking about her native Rwanda and was deeply troubled by the events unfolding there. The president, Paul Kagame, heralded as the man who stopped the 1994 genocide, was quietly becoming yet another strongman on the African continent. My mother could not silently watch from the sidelines in Europe as Rwanda's citizens lost their freedoms and suffered persecution. She eventually returned to Rwanda seeking to challenge Kagame and run for the presidency, but these plans were quickly thwarted. Shortly after her return in 2010, she was arrested and forced to face charges of genocide ideology and terrorism in a trial that was internationally condemned as unfair and a violation of her rights. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison. My mother was in jail for eight years, much of that time in solitary confinement. When she received a presidential pardon in 2018 from President Kagame himself, we thought our family would finally have a chance to reunite. But even though she was no longer imprisoned, my mother was not free. She was prevented from running for elected office. To this day, her political party has not been allowed to officially register. The conditions of her pardon also required her to seek permission if she wanted to travel outside Rwanda, but despite her numerous requests, permission has never been granted. My mother has missed every important moment and milestone in our family's life since her return to Rwanda, from graduations, to weddings, to the birth of her grandchildren. She has not even been allowed to visit her husband, my father, who has faced severe health challenges that have left him paralysed and gravely ill. The conditions of my mother's pardon were set to expire in October of this year. We hoped and believed that this would mean she would have her freedoms and rights fully restored. When I visited her in Rwanda earlier this year – our first reunion in 15 years and the first time she has ever met my wife and children – we dared to plan to celebrate Christmas together. These hopes were dashed when she was arrested on 19 June 2025. She now faces vague and politically motivated charges, including conspiracy to overthrow the government and spreading false information. She is awaiting what will certainly be a political trial, like the one she went through in 2010. Still, in many ways my mother is fortunate. She is alive. The same cannot be said for members of Dalfa Umurinzi, the political party she established. Since 2016, several members have gone missing, and others have been murdered. Their political activism ultimately cost them the highest price, and our mother has often told us this terrible injustice motivates her to keep going in her fight for democracy and respect for human rights. The first time the Rwandan government imprisoned my mother, I was only a child, too young and scared to advocate for the mother I love and admire so deeply. But times have changed, and now I will use my voice whenever and however I can to draw attention to her unjust imprisonment and call for her freedom. I ask democratic leaders and governments around the world to hold Rwanda accountable for violating the standards of international law. Since Kagame became its leader, Rwanda has styled itself as a commendable success story in Africa and a worthy player in the international community. There are too few who question why Kagame wins elections by 99% of the vote while arrests, disappearances and even killings of his critics occur both within and outside Rwanda's borders. We need more governments to raise these questions and demand answers. The country still depends heavily on overseas development assistance, so I join with those who argue that such aid should require Rwanda to ensure true democracy, liberty for all and justice according to the established rule of law. My mother, Victoire, and many other courageous dissidents in Rwanda have risked their lives to speak out for these values. Now I ask the international community to speak out for them. Rwanda needs a consensus democracy, one that solves political problems through dialogue, to move toward a better future for all. But this is impossible as long as an authoritarian regime maintains control. Hope for the freedom of dissidents like my mother, and for all citizens of Rwanda, rests in diplomatic intervention, political pressure and the media's role in uncovering the true nature of the regime in Rwanda. Rémy Amahirwa is the oldest son of the Rwandan dissident Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza. He lives in Sweden with his family Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Rwanda hostel spruced up with £20m of Brit taxpayer cash to receive first deportees — from America
THE Rwanda hostel spruced up with £20million of British taxpayers' money to house our unwanted migrants is to receive its first deportees — from America. Rwanda is taking in 250 migrants thrown out of the US under Donald Trump's mass removal programme. 2 Some will enjoy hotel-quality facilities at Hope Hostel, which was readied under the then-Tory government's deportation scheme last summer. The £700million plan was ditched when Labour won the election. Trump is now pushing ahead with his scheme. A Hope Hostel source told The Sun yesterday: 'We are always ready to provide the best services to the customers.' Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo confirmed those arriving in the country would be given support. She added: 'Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement. 'Those approved will be provided with workforce training, healthcare and accommodation support to jump-start their lives in Rwanda.' The initial agreement — signed last month — is for 250 people but can be extended if both countries agree. Britain signed its agreement in 2022. Four UK arrivals were sent to Rwanda but that was under a separate voluntary scheme and did not involve their moving into Hope Hostel. Ismael Bakina, boss of the private operator of the hostel, said the US arrivals would be surprised at the quality of the services offered, adding: 'This is not a prison or a detention centre.' I visited Rwanda's £20m 'migrant hotel' where UK asylum seekers will stay – it's got Premier League on TV & footie pitch 2
