Senegal's constitutional reform continues to split the country's political landscape. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye refused to sign the bill, announcing that a referendum would be held instead


Senegal's Sonko accused of abusing his powers as speaker by targeting President Faye

Senegal’s top opposition leader has suffered major setbacks in his quest to contest the presidency after the Supreme Court upheld a defamation conviction against him and the Constitutional Council later rejected his application to be a presidential candidate.

Senegal top court rejects opposition leader Sonko's appeal

Ousmane Sonko of Senegal was hospitalized following a week-long hunger strike. His admission to a hospital in the heart of Dakar was for emergency care, according to the opposition leader's now-disbanded party.

Senegal's Opposition leader Sonko hospitalised after one week on hunger strike

Sporadic demonstrations broke out on Monday (July 31) across Senegal’s capital after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was charged with fomenting insurrection and detained.&nbsp;

The key opposition figure and President Macky Sall’s fiercest critic is in the midst of facing multiple legal woes which claims have been designed to keep the presidential candidate out of politics.&nbsp;

<h2>Sonko’s lawyer about the charges and arrest</h2>

Sonko “has been charged and placed in custody,” lawyer Ousseynou Ngom told AFP. This comes after the leading opposition figure was charged with undermining state security, criminal association with a terrorist body, disseminating false news and theft, last week.&nbsp;

Sonko was remanded in custody by a judge on these charges, on Monday. “We think it was a political order that was unfortunately carried out by a judge,” said the opposition leader’s lawyer, Babacar Ndiaye.&nbsp;

Sonko, who denies wrongdoing, was detained last week following a scuffle with security forces outside his home in the Senegalese capital. He also announced a hunger strike on Sunday, while in detention.&nbsp;

According to his lawyers, there was no limit to his detention time as the new charges are criminal, reported AFP. “It’s a farce,” Cire Cledor Ly, one of Sonko’s lawyers, told reporters. “It’s a plot that was formed, thought out, planned and executed.”&nbsp;

The opposition leader, who was arrested on Friday, on new criminal charges was also sentenced to two years in prison for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/senegal-opposition-leader-ousmane-sonko-sentenced-to-two-years-in-prison-verdict-sparks-protests-599242">“corrupting youth,”</a> last month, but was not arrested then.&nbsp;

The verdict, in June, had since sparked protests which led to the death of at least 24 people, according to Amnesty International, and 30 according to Sonko’s party.

<h2>Protests and clashes in Dakar</h2>

According to a report by Reuters, protesters blocked the highway into Dakar on Monday with burnt tyres and trucks, this was prior to the judge’s ruling in the latest case. Sporadic groups of protesters also clashed with police, who fired tear gas, reported the news agency.&nbsp;

<h2>Government dissolves opposition party &nbsp;</h2>

Senegal’s interior minister, on Monday, said that it had dissolved Sonko’s PASTEF party for rallying supporters into stoking unrest when massive protests broke out in June. The government has also restricted internet access due to the spread of “hateful and subversive messages” on social media.

This comes a day after Sonko had called on Senegalese people to “stand up” and “resist...oppression”. After the announcement, Amnesty International took to X, formerly known as Twitter to condemn the internet restrictions and called it an “attack on freedom of information”.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
 
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Sporadic demonstrations broke out on Monday (July 31) across Senegal’s capital after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was charged with fomenting insurrection and detained.

Sporadic demonstrations broke out on Monday (July 31) across Senegal’s capital after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was charged with fomenting insurrection and detained. The key opposition figure and President Macky Sall’s fiercest critic is in the midst of facing multiple legal woes which claims have been designed to keep the presidential candidate out of politics. Sonko’s lawyer about the charges and arrest Sonko “has been charged and placed in custody,” lawyer Ousseynou Ngom told AFP. This comes after the leading opposition figure was charged with undermining state security, criminal association with a terrorist body, disseminating false news and theft, last week. Sonko was remanded in custody by a judge on these charges, on Monday. “We think it was a political order that was unfortunately carried out by a judge,” said the opposition leader’s lawyer, Babacar Ndiaye. Sonko, who denies wrongdoing, was detained last week following a scuffle with security forces outside his home in the Senegalese capital. He also announced a hunger strike on Sunday, while in detention. According to his lawyers, there was no limit to his detention time as the new charges are criminal, reported AFP. “It’s a farce,” Cire Cledor Ly, one of Sonko’s lawyers, told reporters. “It’s a plot that was formed, thought out, planned and executed.” The opposition leader, who was arrested on Friday, on new criminal charges was also sentenced to two years in prison for “corrupting youth,” last month, but was not arrested then. The verdict, in June, had since sparked protests which led to the death of at least 24 people, according to Amnesty International, and 30 according to Sonko’s party. Protests and clashes in Dakar According to a report by Reuters, protesters blocked the highway into Dakar on Monday with burnt tyres and trucks, this was prior to the judge’s ruling in the latest case. Sporadic groups of protesters also clashed with police, who fired tear gas, reported the news agency. Government dissolves opposition party Senegal’s interior minister, on Monday, said that it had dissolved Sonko’s PASTEF party for rallying supporters into stoking unrest when massive protests broke out in June. The government has also restricted internet access due to the spread of “hateful and subversive messages” on social media. This comes a day after Sonko had called on Senegalese people to “stand up” and “resist...oppression”. After the announcement, Amnesty International took to X, formerly known as Twitter to condemn the internet restrictions and called it an “attack on freedom of information”. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Clashes erupt in Senegal after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko charged and detained

A Senegal court, on Thursday (June 1), sentenced opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for “corrupting youth.” Meanwhile, he was acquitted of rape and death threat&nbsp;charges in the same case, which may affect the presidential aspirant’s chances of running in the elections next year.&nbsp;

The verdict has since sparked protests, reported Reuters, as violence erupted at a central university campus where demonstrators set a car on fire and threw rocks at riot police, who retaliated with tear gas.&nbsp;

<h2>What was the opposition figure accused of?</h2>

The 48-year-old has&nbsp;been accused of raping a woman who worked in a massage parlour in 2021 and then issuing death threats. However, he repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called it a ploy to stop him from running in the presidential elections in 2024.&nbsp;

The prosecution claimed that Sonko raped a then 20-year-old woman and sought a 10-year jail term for the opposition politician. The accuser detailing the alleged abuse in the court said she was raped five times.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, he did agree that he visited the “Sweet Beaute” salon in the capital city for a massage for chronic back pain but denied the alleged sexual assault. As per media reports, the doctor who consulted her on the evening of the alleged incident confirmed he found evidence of sexual intercourse.

<h2>What was the verdict?</h2>

The opposition politician&nbsp;has been sentenced to two years in prison for “corrupting youth” but was acquitted on the rape charges which the accusers’ lawyers said they will appeal.&nbsp;

Sonko would “probably spend the night in jail,” said a report by Al Jazeera, “The judge will ask for a mandate for security forces to bring him to jail.” However, Sonko has said that he is living under house arrest as there is a heavy security presence around his home, reported Al Jazeera.&nbsp;

“The decision to arrest him or not depends on the public prosecutor,” said one of his lawyers, Djiby Diagne. “It is still an abuse towards a young girl,” said one of the lawyers representing the accuser, El Hadj Diouf, adding he was satisfied with the verdict, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;

As per the laws in Senegal, immoral behaviour towards individuals younger than 21&nbsp;amounts to corrupting youth, which is a criminal offence. Meanwhile, the salon’s owner, Ndeye Khady Ndiaye, who was accused of complicity in rape has been sentenced to two years in prison.&nbsp;

<h2>Protests and politics</h2>

Sonko,&nbsp;who is particularly popular among younger voters, boycotted the trial proceedings but was forced to return to the capital city of Dakar by the police over the weekend. The case has since sparked protests by Sonko’s supporters who have also called in charges against the opposition leader of the PASTEF-Patriots party, politically motivated.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, one of Sonko’s lawyers, Bamba Cisse, said, “With this sentence Sonko cannot be a candidate.” This comes as the West African nation’s electoral code prevents individuals convicted of a criminal offence from running for political office and this could stop Sonko from participating in the February elections.

However, there is no official confirmation if the verdict&nbsp;will stop Sonko from running for president. Since the trial first&nbsp;began in 2021, the nation has witnessed sporadic protests from the opposition party leader’s supporters who have denounced the charges.&nbsp;

These accusations have since been denied by the incumbent President Macky Sall’s government as well as the country’s justice system. About a separate case, Sonko is appealing a six-month suspended prison sentence for libel.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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A Senegal court, on Thursday (June 1), sentenced opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for “corrupting youth.” Meanwhile, he was acquitted of rape and death threat charges in the same case, which may affect the presidential aspirant’s chances of running in the elections next year.

A Senegal court, on Thursday (June 1), sentenced opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for “corrupting youth.” Meanwhile, he was acquitted of rape and death threat charges in the same case, which may affect the presidential aspirant’s chances of running in the elections next year. The verdict has since sparked protests, reported Reuters, as violence erupted at a central university campus where demonstrators set a car on fire and threw rocks at riot police, who retaliated with tear gas. What was the opposition figure accused of? The 48-year-old has been accused of raping a woman who worked in a massage parlour in 2021 and then issuing death threats. However, he repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called it a ploy to stop him from running in the presidential elections in 2024. The prosecution claimed that Sonko raped a then 20-year-old woman and sought a 10-year jail term for the opposition politician. The accuser detailing the alleged abuse in the court said she was raped five times. Meanwhile, he did agree that he visited the “Sweet Beaute” salon in the capital city for a massage for chronic back pain but denied the alleged sexual assault. As per media reports, the doctor who consulted her on the evening of the alleged incident confirmed he found evidence of sexual intercourse. What was the verdict? The opposition politician has been sentenced to two years in prison for “corrupting youth” but was acquitted on the rape charges which the accusers’ lawyers said they will appeal. Sonko would “probably spend the night in jail,” said a report by Al Jazeera, “The judge will ask for a mandate for security forces to bring him to jail.” However, Sonko has said that he is living under house arrest as there is a heavy security presence around his home, reported Al Jazeera. “The decision to arrest him or not depends on the public prosecutor,” said one of his lawyers, Djiby Diagne. “It is still an abuse towards a young girl,” said one of the lawyers representing the accuser, El Hadj Diouf, adding he was satisfied with the verdict, as quoted by Reuters. As per the laws in Senegal, immoral behaviour towards individuals younger than 21 amounts to corrupting youth, which is a criminal offence. Meanwhile, the salon’s owner, Ndeye Khady Ndiaye, who was accused of complicity in rape has been sentenced to two years in prison. Protests and politics Sonko, who is particularly popular among younger voters, boycotted the trial proceedings but was forced to return to the capital city of Dakar by the police over the weekend. The case has since sparked protests by Sonko’s supporters who have also called in charges against the opposition leader of the PASTEF-Patriots party, politically motivated. Meanwhile, one of Sonko’s lawyers, Bamba Cisse, said, “With this sentence Sonko cannot be a candidate.” This comes as the West African nation’s electoral code prevents individuals convicted of a criminal offence from running for political office and this could stop Sonko from participating in the February elections. However, there is no official confirmation if the verdict will stop Sonko from running for president. Since the trial first began in 2021, the nation has witnessed sporadic protests from the opposition party leader’s supporters who have denounced the charges. These accusations have since been denied by the incumbent President Macky Sall’s government as well as the country’s justice system. About a separate case, Sonko is appealing a six-month suspended prison sentence for libel. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Senegal opposition leader Ousmane Sonko sentenced to two years in prison, verdict sparks protests

Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has been charged with rape on Monday but was released on bail under judicial supervision. Sonko's arrest has sparked violent protests across the country.

Senegal: Oppn leader Sonko indicted, released on bail

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