Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR) – Bah Diakhate, a prominent pro-Macky Sall activist, and Imam Cheikh Tidiane Ndao have been placed under arrest warrant by the public prosecutor at the Dakar High Court, as confirmed by their lawyers to the Gambia Journal. The duo will spend their first night in prison, with a trial scheduled for Monday, May 27.
The arrests stem from allegations of disseminating false news and insulting a person exercising presidential prerogatives. According to articles 254 paragraph 2 and 255 of the Penal Code, the charges carry significant legal consequences.
In separate video footage, both Diakhate and Ndao sharply criticized and insulted Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousman Sonko for his perceived leniency towards a suggestion made by French opposition leader Jean-Luc Mélanchon. Mélanchon had proposed that Senegal legislate to grant more rights to the LGBTQ community.
Prime Minister Sonko’s response to Mélanchon, stating that homosexuality is tolerated in Senegal, sparked a wave of backlash. Critics accused Sonko of betrayal, highlighting his previous promises to legislate against homosexuality if his party, Pastef, took power. Many recalled former President Macky Sall’s firm stance on the issue when he categorically rejected a similar request from former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2012.
As the trial date approaches, the arrest of Bah Diakhate and Imam Cheikh Tidiane Ndao has intensified the ongoing debate over freedom of expression and the limits of criticism against public officials in Senegal.
