During a press briefing held yesterday by the Political Bureau of the Pastef party, the National Secretary for Communication of this political formation, El Hadj Malick Ndiaye, denounced the situation currently experienced by its leader, Ousmane Sonko, blocked by the Fds at home, and the numerous « arbitrary » arrests, as well as the torture to which certain arrested persons are subjected.

Giving news of his leader, Ousmane Sonko, El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, the Pastef party’s head of communications said he « is in prison ». « Ousmane Sonko is in prison. Ousmane Sonko is in the new prison built at Cité Keur Gorgui. It’s the most heavily guarded prison », El Malick Ndiaye quipped yesterday at the press conference of the Pastef party’s national executive, protesting against « the treatment of Ousmane Sonko, who was cut off from the world after being taken away by the forces of law and order to put an end to the ‘freedom caravan’ that he started in Ziguinchor, and who is now unable to move freely because of the presence of the Fds in front of his home in Keur Gorgui ».

Pointing out that « Ousmane Sonko is the most relentlessly attacked, being called every name in the book », El Malick Ndiaye maintains that « all these accusations against him have turned out to be unfounded », referring to the trial between Sonko and Adji Sarr, with the Criminal Division « re-characterising the charges of rape that they were trying to bring against him and sentencing him to 2 years’ imprisonment for corrupting young people ».

Presenting their condolences to the families who lost loved ones during the recent demonstrations on 1 June, the day of the verdict in the trial of their leader in the Sweet Beauty case, which resulted in 16 deaths and serious injuries, the leaders of the Pastef party cited videos broadcast « to attest to the presence of riot police and militias », while stressing that « there is no need to comment on the images ». « The images speak for themselves. They show armed thugs and militiamen operating alongside the forces of law and order without being bothered, firing on demonstrators. » This was enough for the pro-Ousmane Sonko group « to deny the comments made by the Minister of the Interior, who referred to the presence of occult forces during the latest demonstrations, after having first mentioned it during the first demonstrations in March 2021 ». El Malick Ndiaye points out that « if today he speaks of occult forces again, having spoken of them in 2021, without taking any measures to put an end to them, this constitutes an admission of failure ». « We demand the resignation of the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Justice », say the « Patriots », who called on President Macky Sall and his regime to « get their act together » by putting an « end to the actions of thugs and militias, and to the regime of terror that currently reigns in Senegal », against a backdrop of « political tension », says the spokesperson for the Pastef party.

As « supporters of peace », the « Patriots » alert for the  » preservation of peace in Senegal, before things take a turn for the worse with thugs and other militias carrying out atrocities against demonstrators », while calling for « the release of political prisoners ». « More than 700 people are in prison. The prisons can no longer hold these prisoners. Let’s release all the political prisoners and stop targeting all dissenting voices », stressed El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, who condemned « the cases of torture to which people like Abdoulaye Touré are subjected, and the way in which certain people are arrested, as was the case with Cheikh Bara Ndiaye, a columnist on Walf Tv, seeking to humiliate them even in their homes or offices ».

The leaders of Ousmane Sonko’s party are calling for a « serious investigation this time » to « establish who is responsible for the murders that took place » during the demonstrations.

Reaffirming that « Ousmane Sonko will be a candidate in the next Presidential elections in 2024, whatever the manoeuvres made to block his candidacy », El Hadji Malick Ndiaye continues to stick to his guns by disqualifying Macky Sall’s candidacy in 2024.

Calling once again for « constitutional resistance », the « Patriots » invite « large numbers of people to take part in the peaceful F24 marches today, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday ».

By Amadou MBODJI / ambodji@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH