Senegal: An opponent in custody after remarks targeting Presidents Macky (…)

In Senegal, the executives of the presidential party were gathered last night, Wednesday July 5, after the announcement Monday July 3 of Macky Sall not to stand for the election of February 2024. In a statement this night, they let the leader of the State "the task of proposing their candidate to the party and the coalition" for the presidential election .

On the opposition side, Birame Souleye Diop was placed in police custody after remarks concerning the succession of the head of state. It was during a press conference, Tuesday evening, after the announcement of Macky Sall.

Birame Souleye Diop, deputy of Ousmane Sonko’s Pastef party and president of the parliamentary group of the Yewwi Askan Wi coalition, warns of a "turnaround" by the head of state. He evokes the case of the President of CÃ´te d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, who had said that he would not stand for the 2020 presidential election in his country, before the death of his dolphin, Amadou Gon Coulibaly.

"I warn the next candidates of the ’APR: avoid eating at his place, avoid drinking his water, he is capable of poisoning you and saying: as we no longer have a candidate, I am coming back. And to do it like Ouattara. Take care! "

Remarks which sparked controversy and were followed, yesterday, by an apology from the person concerned in an online video: “We had comments about Macky Sall that went beyond our intentions. That is why I humbly declare my apologies. Â»

But that won’t be enough. According to his lawyer, Me Moussa Sarr, Birame Souleye Diop is being prosecuted "for defamation committed by a member of the Assembly against a foreign Head of State likely to undermine the State’s diplomatic relations", as well as for "discredit on an institution of the Republic.

Source: RFI