Journalist Pape Alé Niang, a critic of power, whose detention for more than a month has mobilized the profession and human rights defenders, was released on Wednesday, according to one of his lawyers.
Pape Alé Niang “left prison following the prison administration notified the judge’s decision”, ordering his release under judicial supervision, said Me Ciré Clédor Ly in a message sent to AFP.
A judge from the Dakar court signed the order for provisional release under judicial supervision with withdrawal of passport, ban on travel and communication on the case, the lawyer told AFP earlier in the day.
Mr. Niang went on a hunger strike on December 2 to protest his imprisonment. He put an end to it on Wednesday following his release, “but he is weakened”, assured his lawyer.
Mr. Niang had been evacuated to a private clinic in Dakar on the night of December 9 to 10 following a deterioration in his health, according to his defense. He was released on Tuesday to be taken to prison once more, according to the local press.
The NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday welcomed his release and called on the authorities to drop all charges once morest the journalist.
Boss of the Dakar Matin online news site, the journalist was arrested on November 6 and then charged on November 9 for “disclosure of information likely to harm national defence”, “receiving administrative and military documents” and ” dissemination of false news likely to discredit public institutions”.
According to the press unions, the authorities accuse Mr. Niang of having disseminated confidential messages on the security arrangements surrounding the interrogation of the main political opponent, Ousmane Sonko, on November 3 in a case of alleged rape, and of called to take to the street.
Such messages have been widely shared by others on social media around this summons. Investigators and Mr. Niang’s lawyers did not specify which documents exactly caused the journalist to be implicated.
The journalist’s detention sparked a wave of criticism from the press and civil society once morest the authorities. Many human rights organizations and the opposition have called for his release.
Senegal is 73rd out of 180 in the latest press freedom ranking established by RSF. The country fell 24 places compared to 2021.
