Mali: French ‘intelligence agent’ sentenced to 20 years over state security charges

A Malian court has sentenced a French national to 20 years in prison for endangering state security. The man, described as an intelligence operative with diplomatic cover, was arrested in Bamako in August 2025.

The verdict was delivered on Thursday by the criminal chamber of the specialized counter-terrorism unit. In addition to the prison term, the convicted man—identified as Yann V.—received a 20-year ban from entering Mali and was fined 5,400 euros.

According to Malian authorities, Yann V. was taken into custody on August 13, 2025, during an operation by the State Security service, the country’s intelligence agency. Formally assigned to the French embassy in Bamako, he was apprehended alongside several officers from the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa).

Those soldiers, who have since been dismissed from the military, are accused of involvement in an espionage and conspiracy network aimed at destabilizing Mali’s transitional institutions and preparing a coup plot. Their own trial has yet to take place.

France has strongly denied the accusations. Reacting to the sentence, the French foreign ministry called the charges baseless and stated that the agent was carrying out a security cooperation mission. Paris insists it never participated, directly or indirectly, in any attempt to destabilize Mali.

The case had already sparked serious diplomatic friction between the two nations. Following the arrest, France suspended its counter-terrorism cooperation with Mali and asked two Malian diplomats to leave the country.

Since the military takeover after the 2020 and 2021 coups, relations between Bamako and Paris have deteriorated sharply. Malian authorities have steadily reduced collaboration with Western partners—especially France—while strengthening political and security ties with Russia.