Mali Sentences French Diplomat to 20 Years for Espionage

A French diplomat in Mali has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for espionage and undermining state security, according to sources. The individual, identified in some reports as an agent of the DGSE or the French embassy, was convicted by the junta in power. Paris has rejected the accusations as baseless. The sentencing marks a further deterioration in relations between France and Mali.