A French citizen convicted and jailed for 20 years over an alleged attempt to destabilise Mali's military government has been released under a presidential pardon and will be expelled from the country.
Yann Vezilier was among those accused of being involved in a plan to undermine President Assimi Goïta's administration. Malian authorities claimed the Frenchman was operating "on behalf of the French intelligence service" and had links to army generals, soldiers and other people allegedly involved in the plot.
The reason behind the decision to pardon him has not been made public. The French foreign ministry had also not issued a response, while it previously dismissed claims that Vezilier was working in Mali as a French intelligence agent, calling the allegations "unfounded".
The Malian government announced the decision through a Facebook post, making clear that the pardon does not erase the findings reached during the trial.
"This act of clemency, which does not call into question the facts established by an adversarial judgment rendered during a trial, where all rights of the defence were respected, is accompanied by the immediate removal of the individual from national territory."
Vezilier's departure comes as Mali's relationship with France remains deeply strained following years of political and military tensions.
The West African nation, which was once under French colonial rule, has been fighting Islamist militants since 2012. The prolonged violence was among the reasons Goïta gave for taking power in a 2021 coup, although militant attacks have persisted under military rule.
When Vezilier and other suspects were detained last year, Mali's Security Minister Gen Daoud Aly Mohammedine said "fringe elements of the Malian armed security forces" had been arrested for allegedly attempting to "destabilise the institutions of the republic".
Mohammedine said "These soldiers and civilians" had secured "the help of foreign states".
He further accused Vezilier of acting "on behalf of the French intelligence service, which mobilised political leaders, civil society actors and military personnel" in Mali.
The allegations emerged during a period of rising insecurity and political pressure on the military authorities.
In April, the country's defence minister died in an apparent suicide truck bombing at his home near Bamako as militant attacks intensified. Goïta subsequently took over the defence ministry himself, further concentrating key security responsibilities under his leadership.
Militants have also been able to put pressure on major population centres. Fighters imposed a partial blockade on Bamako and completely cut off access to other areas, including Ségou.
Political opposition has faced a tougher environment as well. The junta dissolved all political parties last May after rare demonstrations against the government. Former Prime Minister Moussa Mara criticised the move, saying it dealt a severe blow to attempts to achieve reconciliation under military rule.
Goïta had initially pledged to organise elections within two years of taking power. Those elections have yet to take place.
The military-led transition was extended by another five years last July, allowing Goïta to remain in power until at least 2030.
Mali has meanwhile moved away from its former French security partnership and strengthened relations with Russia. The country has joined Niger and Burkina Faso in seeking assistance from Russian allies as the three governments try to confront jihadist groups operating across the region.
Despite the new military partnerships, the security crisis remains unresolved, with militant attacks continuing across parts of the region.