Senegal police teargas students marching on eve of Sonko trial
Thursday March 30 2023
Senegalese police forces stand in formation as scuffles broke out at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar on March 29, 2023. A new round of protests was called for by the country's opposition parties ahead of Ousmane Sonko’s court case set to be held on March 30, 2023. PHOTO | JOHN WESSELS | AFP
Senegalese police on Wednesday fired tear gas during clashes with students trying to take part in a banned demonstration in the capital Dakar on the eve of the resumption of an opposition leader's trial.
The police were deployed in numbers around Dakar University to deal with the students who responded to the tear gas by hurling stones but were unable to leave the campus.
An AFP journalist at the scene was punched in the back of the head by a police officer who had ordered reporters to stop filming and move away.
The journalist was arrested and manhandled into a van, while a police officer threw a teargas canister towards other media representatives who attempted to intercede on his behalf.
“Inside the van, I was punched several times in the upper body and behind the head by a police officer,” the journalist said after being released.
"AFP strongly protests against this brutality exercised without any reason against one of its journalists who was doing his job," the news agency's global news director Phil Chetwynd said.
“This behaviour casts doubt on the repeated assurances of the Senegalese authorities regarding the free exercise of the profession and raises serious questions about the safety of journalists in the pre-election period,” he added.
Sonko trial resumes
Senegal, an exceptionally stabilised state in the troubled West African region, is seeing another tense week with the resumption of the libel trial against Ousmane Sonko on Thursday.
Senegalese presidential hopeful Ousmane Sonko. Police on Marh 16, 2023 clashed with his supporters who were blocked from accompanying his motorcade to a courthouse where he faces trial for libel. PHOTO | SEYLLOU | AFP
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Sonko and his supporters accuse Senegalese government of using the justice system to prevent him from running in next year's presidential election.
The outcome of the trial over alleged defamation of the country’s Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang who is a member of President Macky Sall's party, could leave Sonko ineligible to take part as a candidate next February.
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The presidential party accuses Sonko of seeking to paralyse the country and of using the street to escape justice.
Senegal’s opposition had announced marches in Dakar as well as across the country to happen on Wednesday, Thursday and Monday.
The Senegalese authorities have banned many of the planned rallies on Wednesday and Thursday, but the main opposition coalition has said it intends to defy the ban.
Concerns over rights violations
On Wednesday, members of the Yewwi Askan Wi coalition (meaning "Liberate the People" in Wolof language) were dispersed by use of teargas in Dakar.
The tensions have considerably slowed down activities in Dakar. School and university holidays have been brought forward. Public transport was suspended on Wednesday while banks were closed early.
Several human rights organisations have expressed concern about the restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression in the West African nation. In addition, they called on Sall not to bid for a third term.
Senegalese President Macky Sall. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
The president has left it in doubt whether he will run again next year.