F24 Civil Society Platform says No to the politicisation of justice in Senegal

 

The Senegal F24 group is an umbrella movement made up of more than 170 political and human rights organisations, trade unions and civil society groups aiming to prevent President Sall standing for an unconstitutiona 3rd mandat.

In a document entitled ''No to the use of justice for political purposes'', the F4 recalls that on 16 May 2023, Ousmane Sonko, President of the PASTEF Party is summoned before the criminal chamber raising fears and questions about the likely consequences on social stability and civil peace in our dear country. Justice is a fundamental pillar of the rule of law and in a democracy, citizens must have a confidence in its integity and processes. F24 calls on the judicial and political authorities to show serenity, restraint and fairness in their decisions and actions in the hours, days and weeks ahead,'' the statement said.

The platform, which says it brings together all the forces of the nation, regrets that the main opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, is being prosecuted simultaneously in several cases marked by an acceleration of procedures and even a violation of appeal deadlines, a right he has by law. According to the platform, Macky Sall has already succeeded in eliminating two candidates, namely Khalifa Ababacar Sall and Karim Wade in the presidential elections following unfair judicial procedures and will not accept a third candidate to add to the list.

Based on the provisions of its charter, F24 gives its unwavering support to the leader of the PASTEF Party and rejects any legal-political artifice aimed at hindering his participation in the 2024 presidential election. It calls on the police to stop besieging Ousmane Sonko's neighbourhood without a warrant, to refrain from violence against him and those accompanying him, and to guarantee him the security to which he is entitled when he travels to the court. It also reminds the executive and judicial authorities that it is up to them not to jeopardise the stability of the country and, to this end, to give the accused Ousmane Sonko the necessary guarantees both for the preservation of his physical integrity and for the respect of his rights to a fair trial. This has so far been manifestly lacking.

 

 

Macky Sall, Interior Minister Diome, Magistrates and Security forces threatened with the ICC (international Criminal Court) over potential human rights abuses

Following 15th May attacks on demostrators protecting the leader of the opposition Ousmane Sonko from illegal arrest by armed security forces, at least one young demonstrator died from a live bullet fired by the Gendarmerie and scores were wounded.

In response leading international human rights lawyer, lawyer for Julian Assange, and member of Ousmane Sonko's legal team Juan Branco issued the following statement:

Any persecution against a member of a civilian population, targeted and identified for his or her ideas, as part of a systematic attack, constitutes an imprescriptible crime against humanity

"We have been given instruction to take the matter of attacks on civilians and human rights before the international Justice system for each and every breech perpetrated on the the population of Ziguinchor.

 This complaint will be ledged against President Sall, Mr Diome the interior minister and against any magistrate or civil servant who has issued or obeyed manifestly illegal orders. We will track down those responsible, down to the lowest-ranking police officer.

 We recall that any persecution of a member of a civilian population, targeted and identified for his or her ideas, as part of a systematic attack, constitutes an imprescriptible crime against humanity.

 We will be particularly attentive to any attempts on the the physical integrity of Mr. Sonko, his relatives, and any demonstrators.

 Those accused will face prosecution and held to account if they attempt to leave the country. We will make sure that no Senegalese dignitary accused of a crime can set foot in any of the 123 ICC member countries without trembling at the possible consequences for them"

 Spent live ammunition used against protesters by security forces

It should be noted that at least two demonstrators, including a 15 year old boy have died from live ammunition foired by securty forces on the 15 May, and they join at least 15 other demonstrators killed in protests by the security forces or armed pro government militians since March 2021. No enquiry was ever held into these deaths, although the US statedewpartment has talked of credible reports of extra judicial killings by securityforces and pro government actors.

Senegal sees unrest ahead of Ousmane Sonko's trial

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Africannews and AP - AFP

The unrest in Ziguinchor, a town in southern Senegal, came one day before the expected start of Sonko’s rape trial in the country’s capital, Dakar. Sonko was charged based on a woman’s accusations that he assaulted her when she worked at a massage salon.

If convicted, Sonko faces up to 10 years in prison and would be barred from running for president.

According to local authorities, a police armoured vehicle struck and killed the officer as it was reversing. The government offered condolences to the officer’s family, calling his death a ‘tragic accident’.

Clashes occurred near Sonko’s home, where he has been staying while vowing to defy any summons to appear in Dakar for the rape trial. Sonko challenged President Macky Sall in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election and was elected mayor of Ziguinchor last year.

Supporters gathered outside his home starting Sunday evening, fearing police would move to arrest him to bring him to court. Messages have circulated on social media calling for supporters to act as Sonko’s “shields.” and defend their leader from arrest.

Sonko recently received a 6-month suspended prison sentence in a defamation case and declared he would no longer respond to court summonses without his safety being guaranteed.

His lawyers told reporters at a news conference in Paris on Monday (May. 15) that Sonko had not yet received a summons but would appear “if conditions were met.”

Senegalese police deployed extra officers in Ziguinchor and elsewhere in Senegal.

 

SENEGAL CONCERN NOTE:

 Ousmane Sonko had announced that he would only attend the trial if his safety from the security forces could be guaranteed. During his last two appearances in court of a different trial, he was attached by security forces, his vehicle window smashed, forcibly extracted and on one occassion sprayed with a highly toxic potentially deadly substance in what has been called an assassination attempt.

The rape accusation case itself is widely viewed as a farce aimed at excluding Sonko (who has a commanding lead in the polls) from the presidential race. The medical certificate from one of Senegal's leading gynacologists cleared him, as it revealed there had been no sexual contact, although the doctor then had attempts to bribe him to change the certificate followed by death threats and attempts on his life when he refused. The leading Gendarmerie investigator faced death threats, sacking and military detention after he revealed that an internal Police enquiry had found that the Chief prosecutor had altered witness statements and infroduced false evidence to implicate Sonko. Leaked audi tapes from the supposed victim (which she does not deny making) reveals her admitting the whole matter was an engineered plot as he had never had any relations with her. The investigating judge refused to accept evidence submitted by the accused revealing clear evidence of conspiracy against him.

It should be further noted that President Macky Sall's two previous main presidential contenders have both also found themselves excluded for running against him due to cases brought against them in the courts.