Mali pardons French intelligence agent after year in prison

Mali's military junta has pardoned a French intelligence agent who had been serving a 20-year prison sentence, a move Paris welcomed as a major relief following years of severely strained relations between the two countries. The release of Yann Vezilier, a DGSE officer stationed at the French embassy in Bamako, was announced on Thursday, August 13, 2026.

Vezilier was arrested in Bamako on August 14, 2025, alongside several Malian military officers. Malian authorities accused him of working for French intelligence and recruiting individuals to destabilize the transitional government. He was convicted in June 2026 of undermining state security and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Malian government stated that the presidential pardon, granted by junta leader General Assimi Goïta, does not call into question the facts established by the court during a trial in which defense rights were respected. The decree requires Vezilier's immediate removal from the country.

France has consistently rejected the accusations against Vezilier as baseless. The French Foreign Ministry argued that he held diplomatic accreditation and was protected from arrest under the Vienna Convention. Following...