Yassine Fall Condemns Mack Sall
In this English language podcast from 13 March 2023,Yassine Fall, Social justice advocat, economist, Howard University alumni, UN retiree and the current Vice President International Relations of the PASTEFthe Patriots Party, provides a comprehensive background on political events in Senegal, and condemns the politics of the current president Macky Sall and on-going human rights abuses
FROM: XIBAARU
.png)
"The Senegalese authorities are stepping up repression in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election by attacking human rights, restricting civic space, banning demonstrations and detaining a journalist and opposition figures. In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, the Senegalese authorities are undermining human rights protection in the country, including by restricting the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and freedom of the press, banning demonstrations organized by opposition parties, and failing to respect the rights to justice, transparency and truth of victims of the use of force," said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International's Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
"Instead of repressing freedoms, the authorities should respect human rights, stop using excessive force during demonstrations, allow the media to cover demonstrations, stop arbitrarily detaining journalists and members of the opposition, and respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. This trend of repression must stop now in order to defuse tensions".
Repression of the Senegalese political opposition
On 16 March, Ousmane Sonko, leader of the opposition party PASTEF, appeared before a court in Dakar on charges of defamation after Mame Mbaye Niang, Senegalese Minister of Tourism, filed a complaint against him. On his way to court, police fired tear gas and Ousmane Sonko was forcibly removed from his vehicle and taken by police to the courthouse, after an altercation over his route. As the trial began, clashes broke out in Dakar between police and demonstrators expressing support for Sonko. A few hours later, the court adjourned the trial to 30 March.
