Ousmane Sonko, extensively supported by means of Senegalese adolescence, is dealing with a civil libel case filed in opposition to him by means of Senegal’s tourism minister for alleged defamation and public insults.
Police and demonstrators clashed in Senegal’s capital Dakar on Thursday sooner than a courtroom case involving opposition chief Ousmane Sonko, who’s extensively supported by means of most of the West African nation’s adolescence.
Legislation enforcement officials fired tear fuel at masses of Sonko supporters as they trailed cars taking him to courtroom for the resumption of a civil libel case in opposition to him by means of Senegal’s tourism minister for alleged defamation and public insults.
Protesters burned tyres within the streets and hurled stones at police. A big grocery store used to be set on fireplace, the newshounds mentioned.
Sonko, 48, is additionally charged with raping a attractiveness salon worker in 2021 and making dying threats in opposition to her. He denies all wrongdoing and says the accusations are politically motivated. No date has been set for the trial.
Thursday’s skirmishes are the newest spherical of unrest in Senegal, the place presidential elections are scheduled for February subsequent yr. The rustic has lengthy been observed as a bastion of steadiness and democracy in a restive area, a popularity shaken by means of fatal violence over the past two years.
A lot of the anger is concentrated against President Macky Sall, whose failure to rule out operating for a 3rd time period in place of work has angered many. Senegal’s charter best lets in two phrases, however some concern that Sall will use a contemporary tweak to the charter to reset his mandate, a tactic utilized by different rulers to increase energy within the area.
His executive has additionally been accused of imprisoning dissidents and individuals of the opposition.
However many Senegalese youths have additionally been interested in Sonko on account of top unemployment and financial hardship.
This has ended in sporadic and on occasion violent protests. Cries of “Macky Sall is a dictator” rang out in Dakar all through one protest in July 2022.
Tensions have flared sooner than Sonko’s courtroom look this week, with 3 days of protest. Greater than 10,000 supporters accrued at a box in Dakar on Tuesday to cheer on Sonko, who hopes to run for president in February. The previous tax inspector got here 3rd within the 2019 polls – the youngest candidate in that election.
Sonko supporters accuse Sall of in search of to get rid of him from the contest with a accountable verdict.
