Presidential pardon for French alleged spy accused of plotting Mali coup

Yann Vezilier, a Frenchman sentenced to 20 years in prison in Mali for allegedly attempting to overthrow the country's government, has been granted a presidential pardon, according to the Malian government. The announcement was made on Thursday, but it is unclear what prompted Mali to reverse its stance on the case. France's foreign ministry has not commented on the decision, previously stating that accusations against Vezilier of working as a French spy in Mali were "unfounded."

The pardon comes as Mali grapples with a security crisis fuelled by an Islamist insurgency since 2012. The country has been plagued by attacks by jihadist groups, which have only intensified over time. Mali's Security Minister at the time of the arrests last year accused "fringe elements of the Malian armed security forces" of seeking to "destabilise the institutions of the republic" and obtaining "the help of foreign states."

Vezilier was accused of acting on behalf of the French intelligence service, allegedly mobilising political leaders, civil society actors, and military personnel in Mali. The Malian government said that while the decision to pardon Vezilier does not question the facts established during a trial where all rights of the defence were respected, the individual will be removed from national territory immediately.