In Mali, Issa Kaou Djim, former vice president of the National Transitional Council (CNT), has regained his freedom after serving a one-year prison term.

Djim was convicted by the Malian judiciary for insulting Burkina Faso’s Transitional President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and for calling an alleged coup attempt in Burkina Faso “staged.”

His release on Thursday marks the end of a case that drew regional attention due to its diplomatic implications.

Observers note that Djim’s freedom could ease tensions between Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso while highlighting the limits of political expression in the region.