Political unrest in one of Africa's most stable countries: Nine people were killed overnight after Senegalese police opened fire on protesters in the capital Dakar and the city of Ziginshore protesting the conviction of opposition leader Osman Sonko for "vandalizing youth," an offense that carries a prison sentence.
Protesters set cars and buses on fire along the capital's main streets of Dakar and according to some reports, several police officers were attacked and injured by the angry mob. "During the night, unfortunately, violence was recorded that led to the destruction of private and public property and, worse, the deaths of nine people in Dakar and Ziginsure," Interior Minister Antoine Dumas said in a speech to state television.
Senegal: Riots after opposition leader's conviction for "vandalizing youth"
The situation in the country remained tense even during the morning hours when large police forces arrived at Sonko's residence in the capital, apparently in preparation for his arrest and transport him to serve his sentence.
Sonko was accused of raping a massage parlor worker in 2021 and making death threats against her to prevent her from complaining about the acts. The court acquitted him of both counts but convicted him of an offence under Senegalese law of "immoral conduct towards anyone under the age of 21." Sonko denied all the charges against him and claimed it was an attempt to carry out a "political assassination" on him.
Osman Sonko surrounded by his supporters in the capital Dakar, Photo: AFP
Sonko's party said the verdict against him was part of a political conspiracy to sabotage his presidential candidacy in next year's election and urged its supporters to "stop everything you're doing and take to the streets." Soko's lawyer, Bamba Sis, told local media that under the existing conviction, Sonko would not be able to run in the next presidential election.
Sonko, 48, is a former public sector worker and former mayor of the country's seventh-largest city, Ziginsure. Sanko came third in the 2019 presidential election, but his energetic and aggressive campaign against incumbent President Macky Sall won him broad support among large segments of the country.
Political violence is relatively unusual in Senegal, considered one of Africa's most stable democracies. Western experts have warned in recent years that Sall's rule is becoming increasingly authoritarian and the charges against Sunko are part of an attempt to target opposition figures through the judicial system.
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