Learn How To Make Money From Home Using Your Smartphone In 2025
By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
AfricaNews360AfricaNews360
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    The future is African – Ghana President declares at UN Assembly
    September 26, 2025
    Burkina Faso to ‘street honour’ late Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings
    May 19, 2025
    Burkina Faso honours late president Thomas Sankara with memorial park
    May 19, 2025
    Nigeria Presidency refutes Catholic leaders’ criticism of economic hardship
    March 11, 2025
    Ghana’s President Mahama strengthens ties with Mali during Bamako visit
    March 10, 2025
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Ghana’s President Mahama seeks investment partnerships during Singapore visit
    August 25, 2025
    Ghana’s Tourism Minister commends Emirates at grand opening of Travel Store
    May 15, 2025
    Burkina Faso strengthens Russian ties with new mining licence
    April 27, 2025
    Ghana Bauxite Company targets 6 million tonnes production by end of 2025
    April 7, 2025
    Ghana to launch ‘River Guards’ program to combat environmental Impact of illegal mining
    March 17, 2025
  • Showbiz
    ShowbizShow More
    Davido releases ’10 Kilo’ Music Video
    August 13, 2025
    Nigerian Star Davido’s Foundation supports 500 orphanages in annual Charity drive
    February 13, 2025
    Nigerian president Tinubu celebrates Nollywood icon Nkem Owoh ‘Osuofia’ at 70
    February 8, 2025
    Burkina Faso’s Bissa music sensation Eunice Goula drops new Banger ‘Mariage’
    September 25, 2024
    Kenya’s president hosts national music festival
    August 16, 2024
  • Sports
    SportsShow More
    Ghana name squad for final World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic and Comoros
    October 2, 2025
    Fifa sanctions SAFA with 3-0 defeat to Lesotho and £7,000 fine following Teboho Mokoena breach
    September 30, 2025
    Botswana declares public holiday after winning gold medal
    September 22, 2025
    Ghana smashes national record to reach 4x100m final at World Championships
    September 20, 2025
    Nigeria held to frustrating draw by South Africa in World Cup qualifier
    September 9, 2025
  • Biographies
    BiographiesShow More
    Michael Gallup Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Siblings, Wife, Children
    July 25, 2024
  • Columns
    ColumnsShow More
    Ghana Government does not subsidize Hajj Pilgrims: Debunking the myth with facts
    March 7, 2025
    Full Speech: South African president’s address at first G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting 2025
    February 22, 2025
    Ing. Abdullah Mohammed Billey: The Ghanaian road expert victimised for political reasons by the ousted Government
    February 3, 2025
    Ghana President Mahama’s speech at Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025
    February 2, 2025
    An American opinion on the impending NDC Government structure
    December 17, 2024
  • Travel
    TravelShow More
    Ghana’s Tourism Minister commends Emirates at grand opening of Travel Store
    May 15, 2025
    Thousands of Ethiopian diaspora heed PM’s call to ‘come home’
    May 2, 2024
    Malawi and Ghana sign visa waiver agreement to enhance bilateral ties
    March 21, 2024
    Ghana signs visa waiver agreement with Bahamas
    February 22, 2024
    Malawi scrapes visa restrictions for 79 countries
    February 9, 2024
  • Editorial
    EditorialShow More
    FEATURE: Kigali City- A glittering jewel of Africa
    September 2, 2023
    All eyes on INEC as Nigeria decides
    February 26, 2023
    Feed Africa Summit: Continent Plans to Achieve Zero Hunger by 2030
    January 25, 2023
    Africa must speak with one voice at COP27
    November 8, 2022
    Nigerian headteacher sentenced to death after pupil’s murder
    July 28, 2022
  • World
    WorldShow More
    Robert Prevost
    American prelate Robert Prevost elected New Pope
    May 9, 2025
    Rwanda cuts diplomatic ties with Belgium amid Congo conflict tensions
    March 17, 2025
    ICC issues arrest warrants for Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, Ibrahim Al-Masri
    November 21, 2024
    Voting underway in US as Donald Trump faces Kamala Harris for presidency
    November 5, 2024
    Biden directs US forces to aid Israel’s defence against Iran
    October 2, 2024
Reading: Senegal civil liberties under pressure as polls approach
Share
Notification Show More
Latest News
Newly qualified radiographer kidnapped in Nigeria
October 2, 2025
Nigeria’s anti-trafficking agency rescues 24 in major airport operation
October 2, 2025
Ghana name squad for final World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic and Comoros
October 2, 2025
Fifa sanctions SAFA with 3-0 defeat to Lesotho and £7,000 fine following Teboho Mokoena breach
September 30, 2025
The future is African – Ghana President declares at UN Assembly
September 26, 2025
Aa
AfricaNews360AfricaNews360
Aa
  • Technology
  • Science
  • Education
  • Health
Search
  • Topics
    • Business
    • Columns
    • Gossip
    • News
    • Politics
    • Showbiz
    • Fashion
    • Climate
    • World
    • Videos
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
AfricaNews360 > Politics > Senegal civil liberties under pressure as polls approach
Politics

Senegal civil liberties under pressure as polls approach

After a prominent Senegalese journalist was arrested last year on charges of spreading false news, activist Beya Gueye mounted a small protest, demanding the journalist's release following a meeting with Senegal’s prime minister. 

Posted Malik muhammed March 10, 2023 6 Min Read
Updated 2023/03/10 at 10:05 PM
Senegal's President Macky Sall. His government has been criticised by his opponents and the country's rights defenders for limiting media freedom in the country. PHOTO | SEYLLOU | AFP
SHARE

After a prominent Senegalese journalist was arrested last year on charges of spreading false news, activist Beya Gueye mounted a small protest, demanding the journalist’s release following a meeting with Senegal’s prime minister. 

Contents
Broken promises‘Valid reasons’Emoji conviction

He was arrested on the spot and sentenced to two months in prison. On the day of his release this week, another journalist was detained, also for “spreading false news”.

The coincidence reinforces the view, held by rights defenders and Senegalese President Macky Sall’s opponents, that civil liberties in Senegal are coming under pressure in the country’s run-up to the February 2024 presidential election.

A woman marking her finger after casting ballot for Senegal’s presidential elections on February 24, 2019. PHOTO | AFP

They claim the Senegalese government has cracked down on demonstrations, used coercive measures against the press, increased number of arrests and abused the justice system.

Learn How To Make Money Online Using Your Smartphone In 2025

However, the government refuted that there has been any regression and says the law is applied fairly in Senegal, which has a reputation for stability in a region where political turbulence is widespread.

Democracy has been under pressure across West Africa, with military juntas governing neighbours Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. 

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU  Tunisia: Former Speaker of Parliament Rachid Ghannouchi Faces Interrogation by Anti-terrorism Police

Gueye, 24, told AFP he and two other members of a citizen’s movement, led by the rapper Abdou Karim Gueye, were arrested in January after participating in a meeting with Prime Minister Amadou Ba about the alleged misuse of Covid-19 funds.

They were arrested after they left the meeting chanting, “Free Pape Ale Niang”.

Niang, head of news website Dakar Matin, is also known as a critic of the Senegalese president. He was detained in November.

Broken promises

The case against Niang arose after he wrote about rape charges faced by Senegal’s main opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko.

He has been accused, among other things, of “disclosing information likely to harm national defence” and “spreading false news”.

Niang was released in January and placed under strict judicial supervision.

Rights activists have been quick to remind Sall, who was elected in 2012 and again in 2019, that he promised in a 2015 interview never to jail a journalist for any press offence.

Senegalese President Macky Sall.
Senegalese President Macky Sall. On January 3, 2022, he laid the foundation stone of the multi-million deep-water port in Ndayane, a small settlement some 50km south of Senegal’s capital Dakar. PHOTO | FILE | NATON MEDIA GROUP

But on March 7, 2023, another journalist, Pape Ndiaye of the Walf TV news channel, was charged and detained after questioning the independence of the judiciary in the Sonko case.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU  South Africa: Opposition condemns ANC for shielding president Ramaphosa against graft probe

Sonko’s legal affair, and the threat it poses to his presidential candidacy, have been a source of tension in Senegal for two years. 

The firebrand politician claims the charges are part of a plot to torpedo his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.

He also claimed President Sall intends to override the constitution and run for a third term.

On March 9, 2023, Senegal’s former prime minister Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare was taken into police custody after writing a letter to President Sall asking if he had financed a French political figure, according to his lawyer.

‘Valid reasons’

“We have seen a deterioration in human rights for more than two years in Senegal through several violations of freedom of expression as well as peaceful assembly and movement of the press,” Ousmane Diallo of Amnesty International told AFP.

He decried the arrests, which he said have mostly been of people “close to the opposition and critics of the government”.

Senegal was ranked 73rd out of 180 countries on the 2022 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, down 24 places from the previous year.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU  TikTok suspended in Senegal after protests

The opposition claims the government has almost systematically banned demonstrations.

In February 2023, dozens of people were arrested following clashes, ransacking and looting during a Sonko rally in the city of Mbacke in Central Senegal.

Senegalese justice ministry told AFP in a written message that bans on demonstrations always had “valid reasons”, usually to prevent disorder or to protect people and property.

The ministry said only 136 out of 4,633 requests for permission to protest, or about three percent, were refused in 2022, the ministry said.

It added that Senegal remained a land of human rights where the government protected public freedoms and guaranteed their exercise.

Emoji conviction

Outhmane Diagne, a Senegalese social media activist, said he spent five months in detention after resharing a Facebook post showing newspaper headlines that had been edited to reflect badly on the government. 

He had shared the post with smiling emoji.

“I am the only man in history convicted of sharing emoji,” said Diagne, who has been under judicial supervision since January.

RSS EDITORS’ SUGGESTIONS

  • 2026 FIFA WCQ: Otto Addo names Black Stars squad for CAR, Comoros games
  • 2026 FIFA WCQ: Fatawu Issahaku rejoins Black Stars for CAR, Comoros games
  • 2026 FIFA WCQ: Medeama SC midfielder Prince Owusu gets first Black Stars call-up after electrifying GPL season so far
  • 2026 FIFA WCQ: OGC Nice defender Kojo Peprah Oppong earns first Black Stars call-up for CAR & Comoros matches
  • Kotoko coach Karim Zito hails Heart of Lions ahead of Baba Yara clash
TAGGED: Abdou Karim Gueye, Beya Gueye, Macky Sall, Ousmane Sonko, Pape Ndiaye, Senegal
Malik muhammed March 10, 2023
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Telegram Email Print
Previous Article BAL 2023: President Amadou Gallo Fall wants Africa to build valid value around our talent,
Next Article Félicien Kabuga: Rwanda genocide trial halted over dementia claims
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Latest on AfricaNews360

  • Newly qualified radiographer kidnapped in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s anti-trafficking agency rescues 24 in major airport operation
  • Ghana name squad for final World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic and Comoros
  • Fifa sanctions SAFA with 3-0 defeat to Lesotho and £7,000 fine following Teboho Mokoena breach
  • The future is African – Ghana President declares at UN Assembly

More recommendations for you

  • Antoine Semenyo’s red-hot Premier League start shows why big clubs should take notice
  • Black Stars Goalkeeper Benjamin Asare shines with four consecutive clean sheets for Hearts of Oak
  • Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo celebrates Bournemouth’s rise to second after stunning win over Fulham
  • Antoine Semenyo Named Man-of-the-Match after inspiring Bournemouth’s comeback win over Fulham
  • Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo scores brace as Bournemouth thrash Fulham

You Might Also Like

NewsPoliticsTop Stories

The future is African – Ghana President declares at UN Assembly

September 26, 2025
Soccer

Ba’s strike sends Senegal through as Uganda’s dream ends

August 24, 2025
Soccer

Senegal stumble as Congo hold defending champions to crucial draw

August 12, 2025
NewsPolitics

Burkina Faso to ‘street honour’ late Ghanaian President Jerry John Rawlings

May 19, 2025
  • Bereavement
  • Debt Management
  • Finance
  • Job Creation
  • Small Business
  • Climate
  • Education
  • Fashion
  • Health
  • Rights
  • Science
  • Sanitation
  • Mobilisation
  • Secondary Education
  • Celebrity News
  • Tertiary Education
  • Culture
  • Security
  • Corruption
  • Creed
  • Athletics
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Formula 1
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
  • Minning
  • Gaming
  • Technology
AfricaNews360AfricaNews360
Follow US

© 2024 - AfricaNews360 | All rights reserved.

  • About
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?