Senegal: tensions persist in the wake of the conviction of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko

In Senegal, nine people were killed on 1 June 2023 in violence after Ousmane Sonko was sentenced to two years in prison. The opponent, accused of rape by former masseuse Adji Sarr, was found guilty of "corruption of youth". Deadly clashes broke out in Dakar and Ziguinchor, a city whose leader of the Pastef party is the mayor. On 2 June, tensions persist in the country. Explanations.

People walk past members of the Senegalese Armed Forces patrolling the streets of Dakar on June 2, 2023 following violent protests. AFP - JOHN WESSELS

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In Dakar, the situation remains quite volatile, reports our correspondent Charlotte Idrac. New incidents, burning tires, were reported this morning of June 2 in the neighborhood of Ouakam, according to witnesses. It is difficult at the moment to predict the turn of events in the coming hours.

At Cheikh Anta Diop University (Ucad), with their bags or suitcases, students began to pack up, leaving the campus, after the violence of the previous day. Classes have been suspended until further notice. The damage is clearly visible at Ucad: charred buses, ravaged installations.

>> READ ALSO: Senegal: violent clashes between supporters of the opponent Ousmane Sonko and police

Same thing in several districts of the capital where the clashes continued until late at night from 1 to 2 June: Ngor, Yoff, for example, in the suburbs of Dakar too. Shops and petrol stations were set on fire.

This Friday morning, in some areas, Dakar looked like a "ghost town": shops closed, little traffic.

Life has resumed little by little, even if nothing comparable to a usual Friday. Many shops and offices remain closed. Ditto for schools.

In Ziguinchor, Ousmane Sonko's stronghold, clashes have resumed

In Ziguinchor, clashes left 3 dead on June 1. Very strong tension in this city of Casamance. Many regional state buildings and schools were ransacked. The situation had returned to calm on Friday morning but it was tense again at midday.

Clashes resumed in different parts of the city. This is particularly the case in the Kadior district, on Boulevard 54, where young people face the police. The city is almost at a standstill today. Shops are closed, cars cannot circulate. Ziguinchor bears the scars of the violent clashes of the previous day.

This morning, tree trunks and piles of stones still remained on the roads in some places.

Clashes between young people and the police resulted in the death of three young people from the city. No figures were provided for the injured. The clashes lasted all day until late into the night.

Regional state agencies and services were ransacked. This is particularly the case of the National Agency for Statistics and Demography. Also targeted are banks such as Crédit Mutuel. Several sources also report that many schools and high schools have been vandalized. "Nothing has been spared," said a disappointed local source.

Restricting access to social networks, to prevent "the dissemination of hate messages

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The nine deaths of the previous day echo the deadly riots of March 2021, at the very beginning of the legal proceedings against Ousmane Sonko against Adji Sarr. At the time, it lasted 5 days.

On June 1, Ousmane Sonko's Pastef party called on its supporters to "resist", to take to the streets. The government spokesman once again denounced "calls for insurrection".

The restriction of social networks – an important vector of communication for young people – has been confirmed by the Ministry of the Interior, to prevent "the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages".

Ousmane Sonko has not spoken since his sentencing

As for Ousmane Sonko, he has not appeared in public since his last video statement on the night of May 29 to 30. According to the latest news, the opponent was blocked at his Dakar home in Cité Keur Gorgui, surrounded by the police. In the morning, the neighborhood was quiet and we could see a lightening of the device.

The day before, in the late afternoon, the Minister of Justice said that Ousmane Sonko could be "arrested at any time". He repeated the words "at any time" several times, without specifying a time frame.

>> READ ALSO: Senegal: the opponent Ousmane Sonko sentenced to 2 years in prison for "corruption of youth"

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When there is a criminal conviction, in a State governed by the rule of law, the criminal sentence must be enforced. " said Ismaïla Madior Fall.

For the rest, Ousmane Sonko having been absent from his trial, one of his lawyers, Mr. Bamba Cissé, made it clear that he could not appeal his two-year prison sentence. But there is another option, recalled by the Minister of Justice: if the leader of the Pastef party is taken prisoner, he could be retried by the same court. So there could be a new trial.

A "travesty of justice" for Khalifa Sall

Meanwhile, the political class has reacted differently to this case. For the ruling coalition Benno Bokk Yaakar, "Senegal has demonstrated to the world that it is a major democracy, that all citizens are equal before the law". The statement added: "It is established that Ousmane Sonko used indecent, obscene, perverse and vicious acts likely to pervert a young girl.

On the opposition side, they denounce an "unfair" verdict. Khalifa Sall – who participated Wednesday in the launch of the national dialogue initiated by President Macky Sall – denounced instead a "travesty of justice", which "reveals the transformation of justice into a tool of political manipulation".

Same criticism from other opposition figures – Déthié Fall, Aminata Touré, among others. The opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi, of which Ousmane Sonko is a member, has even called for the "resignation" of the head of state whom it accuses of "high treason".

>> READ ALSO: Tensions in Senegal: footballers denounce and call for a return to peace

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