Senegal bans march over delayed polls
SENEGAL banned a protest march planned for yesterday after the presidential poll was postponed to December and President Macky Sall’s term extended.
Elymane Haby Kane, one of the organizers of the march, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) he had received an official letter from local authorities in the capital Dakar that the march was banned as it could seriously hamper traffic.
The United States and European Union have called on the government to restore the original election timetable. Deadly protests pitting youths against security forces have threatened Senegal’s reputation as a haven of stability in West Africa.
Parliament backed Sall’s suspension of the election until December 15, but only after security forces stormed parliament and detained some opposition deputies.
The vote paved the way for Sall -- whose second term was due to expire in April – to remain in office until his successor is installed, probably in 2025.
Senegal’s opposition has decried the move as a “constitutional coup” and suspects it is part of a plan by the presidential camp to extend Sall’s term in office, despite him reiterating that he would not stand again.
The U.N. voiced concern yesterday over the election delay and urged swift probes into at least three deaths during protests.
“We are deeply concerned about the tense situation in Senegal,” Liz Throssell, spokeswoman for the United Nations rights office, told reporters in Geneva.
“Following reports of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against protesters and restrictions on civic space, we call on the authorities to ensure that they uphold Senegal’s long-held tradition of democracy and respect for human rights,” Throssell said.
She said at least three young men were killed and 266 people, including journalists, reportedly arrested across the country.
“Investigations into the killings must be prompt, thorough, and independently conducted, and those found responsible must be held to account,” Throssell said.
“The authorities should also ensure due process for individuals arrested during the protests.”
Throssell said the government must “unequivocally order the security forces to respect and ensure human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly”.