2024-03-04 21:01:05
Initiated by President Macky Sall, this amnesty project, adopted by the Council of Ministers, is controversial in Senegal.
Published on: 04/03/2024 – 22:01
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With our correspondent in Dakar, Léa-Lisa Westerhoff
A proposed amnesty law must be examined this Tuesday, March 5 by a technical commission (made up of 30 deputies from the majority and the opposition) before its examination in plenary by the National Assembly on Wednesday.
According to the project, all people accused of crimes committed between February 1, 2021 and February 25, 2024, arrested as part of demonstrations or for political motivations will be affected by this amnesty, whether their perpetrators have been tried or not. No list of names. This is a period which is affected by this amnesty law.
For the president Macky Sallthis law must serve to “ pacify the Senegalese public space » et « call for reconciliation “. While at least 60 people lost their lives in these demonstrations, hundreds of arrests also took place as well as significant material damage.
But it is also for exactly these reasons that the bill is controversial. For human rights associations but also certain members of the majority, without the possibility of prosecuting those who have killed or committed material damage, this law risks promoting impunity.
The opposition actors who might be concerned remain unknown: the ex-Pastef candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye for example, charged among other things for “acts likely to compromise public peace” and arrested last April, but also potentially the country’s number one opponent Ousmane Sonko (in prison since the end of last July). His presidential candidacy was rejected by the Constitutional Council following his sentence to six months in prison for defamation in a trial which might, under this amnesty law, be described as political.
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