Senegalese President Macky Sall called on his fellow citizens on the evening of Monday March 8 for "calm and serenity".
It was his first public intervention since the arrest on March 3 of his main opponent, Ousmane Sonko, and the unrest that followed.
"All, together, let us silence our resentments and avoid the logic of the confrontation which leads to the worst," said Macky Sall in a speech broadcast on television.
He called for justice to "run its course independently" in the case of alleged rapes which targets Ousmane Sonko.
The head of state also announced a "lightening" of the curfew in force in two regions, including Dakar.
Usually seen as a beacon of stability in an unstable region, Senegal was rocked last week by the worst turmoil it has seen in a decade.
These disturbances began last Wednesday after the arrest of Ousmane Sonko.
Ousmane Sonko calls for mobilization
The Senegalese opponent, accused of rape, was indicted on Monday but released and placed under judicial supervision after his appearance before a judge, his lawyer announced in the middle of the day.
In the evening, Ousmane Sonko asked the Senegalese to strengthen their "mobilization", while demanding that the "revolution" according to him underway be "peaceful".
"The revolution has already started, nothing and no one will be able to stop it," he told the press.
"We must keep this mobilization, it must be much more important even, but above all it must be peaceful," added the deputy.
The area around the court was cordoned off Monday in anticipation of disturbances, and armored vehicles positioned nearby.
Other armored vehicles, from the army, equipped with machine guns, had been placed at the entrance to a popular district, the scene of clashes last week.
With AFP
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