BAMAKO: A Malian court has detained and charged former Prime Minister Moussa Mara over a social media post criticizing shrinking democratic space under military rule in the West African nation, his lawyer said late Friday. Mara is one of few public figures in the country who has been willing to openly question moves taken this year to dissolve political parties and grant the military government, led by Assimi Goita, a five-year mandate without elections.

Moussa Mara, the PM for eight months in 2014-2015, has been charged with ‘undermining the credibility of the state’.

Moussa Mara expressed solidarity with opposition figures held after political parties were dissolved.