The headquarters of the Senegalese daily Les Echos was vandalized on Monday, August 3 by supporters of a Muslim leader and political party leader, who criticized his editorial staff for claiming that the latter had tested positive for coronavirus, the government learned. AFP to this newspaper.
Read also: Covid-19: why Africa is resisting better than expected
“ The material in the newsroom was damaged. These are seven computers and a television set, ”explained one of the managers of the Dakar daily, Cheikh Oumar Ndao. In its Monday edition, Les Echos had affirmed in One that Serigne Moustapha Sy, figure of the influential Muslim brotherhood of the Tidianes and president of the Unity and Rally Party (PUR), had been " struck down by the Covid-19 »And admitted to the Main Hospital of Dakar.
In a statement, the national youth secretary of PUR, Habib Ndiaye, denounced " shameless lies " and claimed that the president of PUR " is well and is somewhere on planet Earth going about his business. ". Denouncing a “ campaign of destabilization ”, he warns the newspaper: “ Leave him alone if you want peace (...) A warned man is worth two ”.
"Four to five " attackers
The press release does not mention the attack which targeted the editorial staff of Les Echos. According to the person in charge of the newspaper interviewed by AFP, " four to five " attackers arrived in the premises of Echos around 1:00 pm local (3:00 pm in France). " They asked for the author of the article on Moustapha Sy, made threats and damaged the equipment, " said Cheikh Oumar Ndao, adding that he had been questioned about this incident by the gendarmerie.
Read also: Covid-19 and pulmonary sequelae: "We fear the appearance of a new disease"
The Council of Publishers and Distributors of the Press in Senegal (Cdeps) condemned in a press release a " despicable aggression " and reminded the State of its " duty to protect journalists and press houses ". The PUR had presented a candidate during the presidential election of 2019, the computer scientist and academic Issa Sall, close to the religious movement led by Serigne Moustapha Sy, which had collected 4% of the vote.
Senegal has officially declared 10,386 cases of coronavirus, for 211 deaths. Infected people have publicly denounced the " stigmatization " they suffered when their disease became known. Senegal, a predominantly Muslim country in West Africa, is ranked 49th in Reporters Without Borders' press freedom ranking, out of a total of 180 countries.