At least 360 people were injured during riots in Senegal that began June 1. They occurred after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was sentenced to two years in prison by a court on the same day, called for protests. This was reported Monday by the BBC, citing Senegalese Red Cross officials.
The largest demonstrations took place in the capital, Dakar, and in the south of the country, killing 16 people, the BBC reported. Authorities detained about 500 people involved in the riots, which peaked on June 1 and 2. Senegal's Interior Minister Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome said the situation in the country began to stabilize June 3.
Meanwhile, the military continues to patrol the streets of Dakar. Army roadblocks and tanks are deployed at strategic points in the center of the capital. Reinforced police units guard the largest shopping malls and gas stations. Internet access is limited. Access to social networks from mobile devices is blocked.
The criminal court in Dakar last Thursday found Sonko, 48, guilty of "corrupting youth," clearing him of charges of rape and death threats. The opposition leader refused to show up in court, and the verdict was announced in his absence. Senegalese Minister of Justice Malick Sall said that the authorities could arrest Sonko at any time. According to the Senegalese news portal Seneweb, Sonko is still in the custody of security forces at his home. Authorities fear his transfer to prison could spark a new round of unrest.
Sonko leads the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity, founded in 2014. He ran in the 2019 presidential elections and came third with 16 percent of the vote. Sonko has already announced that he intends to run in the presidential elections, which will be held in February 2024. However, his sentence of two years in prison makes it impossible for the opposition leader to run for president. Senegal's incumbent President Macky Sall has not yet announced whether he intends to seek another re-election to the presidency.
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Based on materials from TASS