According to a statement posted by the Senegalese Interior Ministry on Twitter, two people have died during protests in Senegal following the indictment of opposition activist Ousmane Sonko by the prosecutor's office.
"The Minister of Interior was informed about the discovery of two deceased male bodies on Monday <...> during demonstrations in Ziguinchor," the statement read.
The Interior Minister extended his condolences to the families of the victims and urged the population to remain calm.
On July 31, prosecutors in Senegal brought charges against opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. According to Agence de Presse Senegalaise, the politician is facing eight charges, including calling for rebellion, association of criminals, attacking state security, conspiracy against state power, acting to undermine public security, and organizing serious political unrest.
Sonko leads the Senegalese Patriots for Labor, Ethics, and Fraternity party, which was founded in 2014. He participated in the 2019 presidential election and secured the third position with 16% of the vote. Sonko had previously announced his intention to run in the elections scheduled for February 2024. However, on June 1, a court sentenced the 49-year-old opposition leader to two years in prison for child molestation. This sentence effectively disqualifies him from running for office. Senegal's current president, Macky Sall, has declared that he will not seek re-election.
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Photo: Jeff Attaway/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS