The Senegalese press calls for the "immediate release" of journalist Pape Alé Niang

The Coordination of Press Associations (CAP) during a press conference, November 7, 2022, held after the arrest of Pape Alé Niang.

© Magatte GAYE / AFPTV

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In Senegal, the Coordination of Press Associations (CAP) demanded Monday, November 7 "

 the immediate and unconditional release

 " of journalist Pape Alé Niang.

The director of the private

Dakar Matin

news site , a critic of the government, was taken into custody on Sunday evening.

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With our correspondent in Dakar,

Charlotte Idrac

In his posts and videos on social networks,

Pape Alé Niang

had notably mentioned the security system for the hearing of the

opponent Ousmane Sonko

in court on Thursday, November 3.

Bamba Kassé, Secretary General of the Syndicate of Information and Communication Professionals of Senegal (Synpics)

“ 

From the feedback we have, it seems that he is being accused of having disseminated information relating to the mobilization of the police, of having done the same thing for what appears to be a document which would concern the firefighters, he is to Dakar urban security where he was interviewed. 

»

Fears for press freedom 

For the Coordination of Press Associations, “

the freedom to investigate and inform is not negotiable

”.

She "

 revolts against the demonization of the press, as much by the authorities as by the opposition

 ".

Ibrahima Lissa Faye, president of the Association of Online Press Professionals: “

 Everyone is free to belong to one camp or another, but when it comes to the profession, we get up because tomorrow , it could be someone else.

Because when we go towards crucial deadlines, the presidential election of 2024 and until then everything is possible.

 »

The threats against journalists are more and more real

", since the riots of March 2021, says the official, who underlines Senegal's decline from 49th to 73rd place in the latest Reporters Without Borders ranking on press freedom .

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  • Senegal

  • Freedom of press

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