A Malian court has sentenced a French embassy official to 20 years in prison on charges of espionage and undermining state security, judicial sources confirmed Friday.

The ruling comes as Mali, led by a military junta since the 2021 coup, continues to distance itself from its former colonial power, France, in favor of strengthening relations with Russia.

The French national, detained since August 2025, was also fined €5,400 and banned from entering Mali for the same duration, according to three separate judicial sources.

At the time of his arrest, Malian authorities alleged the diplomat was working for French intelligence services and accused unnamed foreign states of attempting to destabilize the country, which has been plagued by insurgencies for over a decade.

The arrest occurred on August 13 alongside several Malian officers suspected of plotting a coup to overthrow the junta. However, the French Foreign Ministry rejected these claims, stating Friday that the accusations against their official were baseless.

« Our agent is facing unfounded judicial proceedings, » a ministry spokesperson said. « Their role was strictly limited to security cooperation efforts, and France has had no direct or indirect involvement in destabilizing Mali. »

Mali has been grappling with a severe security crisis since 2012, driven by violence from groups linked to Al-Qaïda, the Islamic State, and local criminal gangs. Under junta leader Assimi Goïta, the country has pivoted away from Western partnerships—especially with France—toward closer alignment with Moscow.

This shift mirrors trends in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, where military juntas have seized power in recent years, promising improved security but facing criticism from analysts over worsening conditions in the Sahel region.