The national police faced the press on Sunday, June 4, 2023 following the clashes that have left 16 dead since Thursday and the sentencing of opponent Ousmane Sonko to 2 years in prison. The Director of Public Safety announces the arrest of 500 individuals in possession of Molotov cocktail, knives, large calibre firearms.

“In the past few days, we have recorded 16 deaths. The persons apprehended during these events are mainly dangerous and armed individuals. To date, 500 individuals have been arrested, among those arrested, we have also registered minors and persons of foreign nationality. The majority of those arrested were in possession of Molotov cocktails, knives and large calibre firearms,” said Ibrahima Diop, Divisional Commissioner and Director of Public Safety.

According to him, “the security forces have faced violent demonstrators who do not seek to express opinions but rather engage in subversive activities.”

Noted actions have been targeted at essential state infrastructure such as water and electricity production plants, public transport, as well as residential shops and banks,” said the Director of Public Security.

The coordination of the Y movement is tired of calling for a general mobilization this Friday, 02 June 2023 afternoon throughout the country «to restore our democracy and the rule of law in compliance with the laws and regulations of our Constitution».

After his illegal and unjustified arrest, Aliou Sané, coordinator of the Y movement is fed up and vice coordinator of the F-24 National Living Forces Platform, faced the prosecutor yesterday, Thursday, June 1. The latter requested the opening of judicial information against him. In other words, it will be presented to an investigating judge today, Friday, June 2,” recalls the movement.

As demonstrated at the last press conference, the charges against him are «unfounded» and contrasted with the physical evidence including the video of his arrest. Yesterday was also marked by the verdict of the Criminal Chamber condemning the opponent Ousmane Sonko and Ms.Ndeye Khady Ndiaye to two years in prison, after disqualification from rape and death threats.

According to Y is fed up, this condemnation leaves no doubt on «the instrumentalization of justice for political purposes», which has generated violent demonstrations in Dakar and in several localities of the interior of the country during which at least nine (9) people were killed. Moreover, like all the living forces of the nation, the movement lends its full support to Ousmane Sonko in the face of this unacceptable injustice and this verdict of this judicial farce.

According to Aliou Sané’s comrades, the situation the country is going through is the sole responsibility of Macky Sall who, every day, takes actions that bring down the pillars of our fragile democracy. “Ban on F24 citizen dialogue, arbitrary arrests of activists and journalists, suspension of the signal of certain critical television stations, restriction of social networks, violent repression of demonstrators…” , they quote.

Therefore, the Y movement is tired of demanding the immediate release of its coordinator Aliou Sané, the arrested demonstrators and all political detainees, the immediate end of the violence of the defense and security forces on unarmed demonstrators, the lifting of the blockade of Ousmane Sonko’s house and the restoration of social networks and the signal of Walf TV.

A demonstration in support of Senegalese investigative journalist Pape Ale Niang took place this Saturday, November 12, in front of the headquarters of Médiapart in the 11 arrondissement in the French capital. Senegalese from the diaspora from all over the world joined the demonstration to demand the journalist’s immediate release.

After many voices raised in Senegal, in the sub-region but also internationally, It is today around the Senegalese diaspora of France all political or apolitical color confused to demand the release of investigative journalist Pape Ale Niang. Intellectuals, magistrates, journalists and civil servants took part in the rally. After listening to the various speakers, a memorandum was read. The memorandum was deposited with the investigative press outlet Mediapart by the organizers, a symbolic place according to them: “We came to deposit the memorandum at Mediapart because this place is symbolic for any investigative journalist”.

Mediapart is a French news site created in 2008 by journalists François Bonnet, Gérard Desportes, Laurent Mauduit, Edwy Plenel, Marie-Hélène Smiéjan and Godefroy Beauvallet. Recognized for investigative journalism and having an editorial line oriented to the left, the site is available in French, English and Spanish. Held by a non-profit foundation, Mediapart plays an important role in the revelations in the Woerth-Bettencourt case in 2010, the Sarkozy-Gadhafi case in 2012, the Cahuzac case in 2012/2013 and the Benalla case in 2018/2019. Mediapart’s investigations led to several resignations, such as that of the Minister of Ecology François de Rugy or the Minister of Defense Michèle-Alliot-Marie.

As a reminder, Senegal’s investigative journalist Pape Alé, director of the Dakar Matin news website, was arrested on 6 November 2022 and imprisoned on 8 November. According to his lawyers, he is being sued for disclosure of information not made public by the competent authority likely to harm National Defence, Receiving administrative and military documents and disseminating false news that would bring public institutions into disrepute. This release of documents comes in the context of the case between the party leader Pastef Ousmane Sonko and Adji Sarr, a masseuse who accuses him of repeated rape and death threats, accusations that the mayor of Ziguinchor denounces and calling this case a plot.

In Dakar, the Coordination des Associations de la Presse (CAP) has already called for the journalist’s release. She also announced a series of actions to demand the release of their confreres. A protest march is already planned on 18 November in this direction. A joint editorial will be published Monday, November 14, 2022 in the various media of the national press «to remind national and international opinion that the monster is back».

Another action following this demonstration of the Senegalese of the diaspora of France, the establishment of a Collective for the liberation of Pope Alé Niang. The aim is to continue to denounce the journalist’s deprivation of his freedom, which they say is a “hindrance to press freedom and a democratic retreat”.