Former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara was released without charges on Wednesday evening after spending two consecutive days being questioned by the cybercrime unit and the public prosecutor in Bamako. The investigations were triggered by a recent tweet he posted, which some officials viewed as a challenge to the transitional authorities.
Mara appeared before the judicial investigation team on July 15 and again on July 16, as part of a probe led by the cybercrime division of the Malian judiciary. According to sources close to Mara, the former premier received “cordial treatment” throughout the extended interrogations and has since returned home with no formal charges or legal proceedings initiated against him at this stage.
The probe centers around a tweet Mara published on July 4, in which he voiced support for what he described as “prisoners of conscience” who had been detained for criticizing Mali’s political transition. “As long as nights endure, the sun will shine eventually! We will fight by all means to make that happen — as soon as possible,” the tweet read.
The post sparked heated debate on social media and in political circles. While some interpreted the message as a veiled call for political escalation, others defended it as a legitimate expression of opinion amid growing political tensions in Mali.
Although Mara has now left court, judicial sources confirm the case remains open. The public prosecutor retains the authority to either close the investigation or reopen it at any time, without a fixed timeline.
