Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has been charged with inciting riots after the interior ministry announced that his PASTEF party had been dissolved.
Senegal’s interior ministry said opposition leader Ousmane Sonko had rallied supporters to fan unrest in violent protests last month when clashes between demonstrators and police erupted in the capital Dakar. dissolved the political party of
According to a decree signed by Interior Minister Antoine-Félix Abdoulaye Diome, the government said that party leaders “frequently incited their supporters to rebel movements, resulting in serious injuries such as loss of life, numerous injuries and looting.” he said.
“The most recent serious disturbance of the peace was recorded in the first week of June 2023, followed by March 2021,” the decree reads.
The dissolution of the Patriotic Party of Senegal (PASTEF), the latest step in a long-running dispute between President Macky Sall‘s ruling party and Sonko’s PASTEF, has his supporters arguing that Sall used false allegations to eliminate popular opponents ahead of the election of february 2024.
PASTEF was not immediately available for comment. Many demonstrators once again took to the streets of Dakar on Monday, when Sonko was detained again on charges of preparing an insurrection.
New charges include violating national security, criminal association with “terrorist” organizations, spreading fake news and theft.
Monday on Facebook, Sonko wrote “I have just been unjustly placed in custody,”.
If the Senegalese people, for whom I have always fought, decide to abdicate and hand me over to the Macky Sall government, I will, as always, submit to God’s will,
Ousmane Sonko
“This is a farce,” one of Sonko’s lawyers, Cire Cledor Ly, told reporters outside the courthouse on Monday.
“This is a well thought out, thought out, planned and executed act.”
They said there would be no limit on his sentence as the new charges are criminal.
“The judge can detain him until the case is heard,” said Babacar Ndiaye, one of the lawyers.
Sonko was arrested on Friday after claiming on social media that he had snatch one of mobile phones after being filmed by security guards outside his home and asking for the video to be taken down.
On Monday, authorities announced they would restrict mobile internet access due to “hateful and destructive” messages on social media.
Sonko had earlier called on Senegalese people to “stand up” and “resist oppression”.