Abidjan: A Malian lawmaker has been sentenced to three years in prison in Ivory Coast for insulting the Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara. The incident comes amid tense relations between the two West African nations following Mali's 2020 military coup.

According to Nam News Network, Mamadou Hawa Gassama, a member of Mali's transitional parliament, was apprehended in Ivory Coast last July. He faced charges for calling President Ouattara a tyrant and an enemy of Mali, and for criticizing his leadership in interviews and on social media platforms. Prosecutors claimed that Gassama's comments were designed to undermine Ivorian institutions and incite discord between the neighboring countries.

Relations between Mali and Ivory Coast have been fraught since the Malian military seized power. President Ouattara, who has maintained a close alliance with France, has openly criticized the military takeover and other similar events in the region. Despite Gassama's arrest in Abidjan, the Malian authorities have remained silent on the matter.

Gassama's lawyer, Mamadou Ismaila Konate, described the court's decision as excessive and severe. This case echoes a previous diplomatic conflict between the two countries when 49 Ivorian soldiers were imprisoned in Mali for allegedly compromising state security. Ivory Coast denied the charges, claiming the soldiers were part of a UN mission. They were eventually released following mediation led by Togo.

In recent developments, Mali's military government has expelled the UN peacekeeping mission and French troops, who had been present since 2013 to combat jihadist threats. Mali has since sought to strengthen relations with Russia, employing Russian mercenaries to address security challenges in the Sahel region.