At least nine people died this Thursday as part of the protests occurred after Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko sentenced to two years in prison He was acquitted of ‘youth corruption’ in a case involving rape and death threats against a woman. Senegalese Interior Minister Antoine Félix Abdoulaye Diome reported the toll of victims recorded in “violent clashes” recorded in the capital Dakar and Ziguinchor, a city in the south of the country where Sonko is mayor.
According to the news of Le Soleil newspaper, Diome expressed his “most sincere condolences on behalf of the President” and urged the protesters to be “calm and calm”. It also enabled the country authorities to make decisions. restrict internet connection for security reasons. “Observing abuses on the Internet, the State of Senegal has taken responsibility and decided to temporarily restrict certain social networks,” he said.
A Senegalese court sentenced Sonko to two years in prison on Thursday for “corruption of youth” in a case in which he was tried for alleged rape and death threats against a woman and was eventually acquitted. The owner of the massage parlor where the complainant worked was also sentenced to two years in prison, although he was acquitted of complicity in rape, according to information gathered by the Senegalese state news agency APS.
Senegalese Justice Minister Ismaila Madior Fall suggested at a press conference that the opposition leader could be arrested “at any moment”. According to the news on the DakarActu portal, “The penalty must be executed. This is a case in absentia and the measure can be applied at any time.” While the Senegalese Prosecutor’s Office claimed that Sonko was sentenced to ten years in prison, the politician has always denied the charges, stating that they are part of a plan to prevent President Macky Sall from running for 2024. presidential elections.
The lawsuit against Sonko for alleged rape was opened in March 2021, sparking protests from his followers over his rival’s arrest, which resulted in the death of 15 people and significant property damage. A demonstration in mid-May by fans, who gathered at his home to avoid his arrest, resulted in the deaths of three more people, including a police officer who was hit by a police car.
The opposition has condemned several times that Sall plans to run for a third term. The Senegalese Constitution limits the total number of terms to two, and although the president argues that it would still be legal to go to the polls, any attempt to extend his stay in power could lead to instability. approved.
Source: Informacion
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