The Senegalese police are conducting a large-scale operation to arrest young people who took part in the demonstrations from Thursday 4 to Monday 8 March 2021. Thanks to the surveillance cameras or the videos widely shared on social networks, the police manage to identify some demonstrators that they do not hesitate to pick up at their homes. Many of them are referred, others have been tried and convicted, and a very small number have been discharged.
The Senegalese police are working to track down the people who had to demonstrate in the streets following the arrest of the opponent Ousmane Sonko. Demonstrations led to the looting of Total stations, the looting of Auchan shops and the destruction of many public buildings.
Since the lull noted in the country on Monday, March 8, following the judicial review of the leader of Pastef, Ousmane Sonko, the police have made arrests of 500 young people, 350 of whom have been referred and 150 imprisoned.
These figures were detailed as follows: in Pikine, 125 demonstrators were referred to the prosecutor’s office. In Ziguinchor and Bignona, 8 young people were sent to prison and 3 were remanded. 40 demonstrators were arrested and then released. Also in Mbacké, 27 young people were placed under a warrant of committal.
In Mbour, 20 young people were referred including 2 minors, 4 were released. In Kaolack, 3 young people, including the manager of the group Keur Gui, were imprisoned. In Louga, some 30 demonstrators were arrested, 19 of whom were brought before the court and 4 of whom were placed under a warrant of committal. In Tambacounda, 5 people were arrested.
These arrests are likely to start the call for calm and appeasement after several days of guerrilla warfare over almost the entire territory. In addition, the Movement for the Defense of Democracy (MDD) will organize a peaceful demonstration this Saturday, March 13, to demand especially the release of all political detainees, the return of the civil rights of Karim Wade and Khalifa Sall and the clear position of Head of State Macky Sall on the issue of the third mandate.
