Gambiaj.com – (Dakar, Senegal) – As the Entente SYTJUST–UNTJ calls a fresh 48-hour strike for Thursday 17 and Friday 18 July, frustration is mounting not just among justice sector workers but also in courtrooms, where the impact of ongoing disruptions is becoming increasingly visible.
The unions, representing clerks and other judicial workers, have been mobilized since 18 June, demanding urgent negotiations with top-level government officials and a binding agreement addressing longstanding grievances.
Despite a meeting with state representatives on 14 July, the unions say no concrete progress was made—largely due to the absence of the Minister of Civil Service, who was abroad at the time.
“We proposed a postponement to allow dialogue with those authorized to commit politically. Yet the administration insisted on proceeding, knowing no one present had the authority to make binding commitments,” the unions said in a statement Tuesday.
They condemned what they described as the government’s “inertia and lack of political will,” warning that this inaction continues to deepen dysfunction in the justice system—an impact now rippling through high-stakes trials.
At the Tribunal des flagrants délits, the strike has led to the postponement of all verdict announcements.
This drew sharp objections from defense lawyers representing high-profile defendants, including former MP Moustapha Diakhaté and journalist Bachir Fofana.
Attorneys Me El Hadji Diouf and Me Aboubacry Barro openly challenged the court’s inability to deliver rulings.
“We respectfully request that the verdicts be delivered,” Me Diouf urged. But the presiding judge replied, “I cannot issue a ruling without the court clerk.”
Me Diouf pushed back: “If we can hold a trial without a clerk, we should be able to issue a verdict too.”
In response, the judge suggested, “The law allows you to request provisional release. Do so, and we can move forward.”
In Fofana’s case, however, his legal team declined to request such release. His ruling has now been rescheduled for 23 July 2025.
The unions insist that the strike is necessary to force a political response to their demands, which include a clear, time-bound protocol agreement. In their view, the current standoff is the result of the government’s unwillingness to engage seriously with justice sector workers.
The Entente SYTJUST–UNTJ is calling on all members to maintain “unity and determination” as they continue their fight for respect, fair treatment, and a properly functioning justice system. Meanwhile, litigants, lawyers, and the broader public remain trapped in a judicial limbo—with no immediate resolution in sight.
