Senegal: Sonko notified of charges of rape and death threats, very tense situation in the country
The front of the RFM radio station after the passage of the demonstrators.
Dakar, March 5, 2021. AFP - JOHN WESSELS
Text by: RFI Follow
6 mins
In Senegal, tensions continue following the Sonko affair, a political opponent accused of rape.
The private radio RFM and the government newspaper "Le Soleil" were attacked Thursday evening.
Auchan stores have been vandalized and riots have taken place in several districts of Dakar.
This Friday morning Ousmane Sonko was presented to the judge who notified him of the grounds for indictment: rape and death threats.
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This Friday, March 5,
Ousmane Sonko
was before the judge.
The opponent had been transferred very early in the morning, according to his defense, to be heard by the dean of the examining magistrates at the end of the morning.
The dean of the judges, who took over the case after the withdrawal of the examining magistrate, notified the grounds for charges of rape and death threats to Sonko.
He left the courthouse in the early afternoon and will face the judge again next Monday.
One of his lawyers was offended by the method used by the judicial authorities.
“
Today, at 11 am, Mr. Ousmane Sonko under escort of elements of the GIGN, was taken to the office of the dean of the judges Samba Sall, dean of the examining magistrates, in the company of his lawyers.
Ousmane Sonko entered the office, but the pity is that all of Ousmane Sonko's lawyers were denied access to the office, and for 25 minutes, Ousmane Sonko was alone with the senior judge
.
"
The attempt to liquidate a political opponent is launched
Maitre Abdoulaye Tall, one of Ousmane Sonko's lawyers
Call
s to
manifest
st
The opponent faced the judge in a high security courthouse.
All access to the court is blocked by the police.
Regularly, clamors of demonstrators, who stand a little further on the outskirts, rise.
The sound of sirens and tear gas can also be heard.
Clashes and violence are reported at Cheikh Anta Diop University, in various districts of the city, and on the outskirts with attacks against supermarkets, gas stations and administrative buildings.
In the center of Dakar, most shops are closed, schools and banks too.
The climate remains very tense in this case while a call for demonstrations was launched for this Friday afternoon by a coalition of political parties and citizen movements.
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To read also
:
New clashes in Senegal after the arrest of Ousmane Sonko, a protester who died in Casamance
Gatherings are however prohibited and disturbances are noted on access to certain social networks, as confirmed by a report from the NGO Netblocks which monitors freedom of access to the internet.
In this context, the governor of Dakar banned the circulation of motorcycles until Saturday evening for security reasons.
Note that several media were taken to task Thursday in Dakar.
Protesters attacked the premises of the national daily
Le Soleil
and the RFM radio station belonging to singer Youssou Ndour.
Earlier in the day, the signals from Walfadjri and Sen TV were cut off by the Audiovisual Regulatory Council, judging that these two media were defending violence by covering the demonstrations.
Attacks against the press denounced by the president of the Syndicate of Information and Communication Professionals of Senegal, Bamba Kassé.
It's a total desolation
Bamba Kassé, President of Synpics
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