Senegalese opponent charged over verbal attack on President Macky Sall

Issued on: 12/07/2023 – 10:20

The charges against Birame Souleye Diop, a senior member of the Pastef political party and the Yewwi Askan Wi opposition coalition, are tied to a blistering statement he made last week regarding the president’s political intentions.

Sall on July 3 announced he would not run for a controversial third term in next year’s election, ending months of tense uncertainty.

Read morePresident Macky Sall rules out third-term re-election bid, spelling relief for tense Senegal

At a press conference the following day, Diop suggested that the president could make a U-turn on his announcement.

He issued a “warning” to future candidates of Sall’s party.

“Avoid eating at his house, avoid drinking his water – he is capable of poisoning you and saying, ‘As we no longer have a candidate, I’m coming back'”, Diop said.

Diop, who later apologised for the comments, was charged Tuesday with committing “acts likely to jeopardise public peace” and an “offence against the President of the Republic”, his lawyer, Moussa Sarr, told AFP.

He was remanded in custody, Sarr said.

His Pastef party is led by Ousmane Sonko, Sall’s fiercest opponent, who was handed a two-year prison sentence in June for moral corruption of a young woman.

Read moreSenegal’s opposition leader Sonko warns of ‘chaos’ if barred from election

The verdict, which rendered Sonko ineligible for the February 2024 presidential election, sparked the most serious unrest in Senegal for years, leaving at least 16 dead.

(AFP)