Published on : 29/06/2022 – 14:54
The Senegalese administrative authorities have banned new demonstrations planned for Wednesday, June 29 by the main opposition coalition. Yewwi Askan Wi is protesting once morest the rejection of his national list led by Ousmane Sonko for the legislative elections set for July 31. In front of the press, the leaders of Yewwi Askan Wi announced at the beginning of the followingnoon the postponement of the marches scheduled for Wednesday.
With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac
The marches are postponed at a later date announced Aïda Mbodj, one of the leaders of the coalition, alongside Ousmane Sonko, Khalifa Sall and Déthié Fall. The MP mentioned the mediation of religious, the preparation of the Muslim festival of Tabaski, or even the end-of-year school exams to explain the postponement.
Tuesday evening already, Ousmane Sonko had called on his supporters on his Facebook page not to come near his home to watch. “ There’s nothing to be scared of “, he wrote.
Bans on demonstrations
This postponement comes following bans on gatherings. The prefects of several departments have notably invoked “ threat of public disorder », « risks of infiltration by malicious individuals “, or ” violation of the electoral code “, which prohibits any “ disguised propaganda before the official opening of the campaign. A reason already put forward by the prefecture of Dakar during the call for demonstrations on June 17. That day, clashes between demonstrators and police had left 3 dead, in Dakar and Casamance, in the south of the country.
In a statementAmnesty International warns of a real threat to the right to demonstrate in Senegal “. The organization also denounces arbitrary arrests “, during the last gatherings. Guy Marius Sagna who had been arrested in Ziguinchor in Casamance was judged tuesday. Yewwi Askan Wi’s candidate for the department finally received a one-month suspended prison sentence.
►Also read: Analysis – In Senegal, political tensions as the legislative elections approach