One year after the election of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the situation of the Senegalese private press has seriously deteriorated. In a memorandum, Mamadou Ibra Kane, president of the Council of Media Owners and Publishers of Senegal (CDEPS), denounced a series of systematic attacks orchestrated by the new regime. Faced with what he describes as an attempt at stifling the press, he calls for a general mobilization to « strengthen the embryonic rule of law in Senegal. »

« On Friday, April 25, 2025, a new situation of violations of freedoms has arisen, » said Mamadou Ibra Kane, president of the CDEPS, referring to the police summoning journalists to notify them of the ban on the publication and broadcasting of their media, ordered by the Minister of Communication. For the head of the CDEPS, the new regime wants to liquidate the national private press. 

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« It is undeniable that the new regime wants to liquidate the national private press, » he then emphasized that these are not speculations or accusations; they are the facts. « Fiscal suffocation, economic asphyxiation, legal denial. For the new regime, the entire national press, without discernment, is linked to the old regime. It must therefore be exterminated, » lamented Mamadou Ibra Kane. In a document on attacks on press freedom, he accused the state of wanting to replace the traditional press with « new media committed to the theories of the new regime and financed with public funds. » He believes that, like a repeated curse, the Senegalese press « suffers repression after each political changeover, under Wade, then under Macky, and today under Diomaye. »

The president of the CDEPS emphasized that the fight is not just that of journalists. « The fight today is to strengthen the embryonic rule of law in Senegal, to promote the emergence of a free, independent, and republican press. This is not the fight of journalists and media technicians. It is the fight of all citizens, all those concerned with strengthening democracy, » he stated. Through its memorandum, CDEPS details the economic and fiscal difficulties imposed on media companies, referring to « disproportionate and illegal tax pressures, refusal to implement the instruction to erase tax debts given by Macky Sall in March 2024 », and the statements of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko accusing the press of « embezzlement and blackmail », accusations that Mamadou Ibra Kane describes as « false » and « unacceptable ».

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Regarding complaints on commercial contracts with public companies or national corporations, the Cdeps states that « all contracts were terminated unilaterally and payments for services rendered were not followed by settlement. With the termination of contracts, it is clear that this instruction had the effect of depriving press companies of significant revenue. » Mamadou Ibra Kane stated that the current situation is « unprecedented. » But that’s not all, according to the memorandum, the state of the media has worsened with the creation of a « media platform » officially intended to « clean up the press, » as well as the publication of a list of « validated media outlets » outside the rules set out in the Press Code.

Tuesday’s Meeting

This Tuesday, the CDEPS invited all 381 media outlets deemed « non-compliant » and targeted by the police to the Maison de la Presse. In the meantime, an appeal has been filed with the Supreme Court challenging the Minister of Communication’s orders. « The CDEPS intends to defend the rights of media outlets that have been unacceptably targeted by the tax authorities and expects the authorities to take into account the instructions contained in President Macky Sall’s correspondence for the cancellation of their tax debt, » stated Mamadou Ibra Kane. 

At the same time, CDEPS promises to support « all member companies in defending their rights against the tax authorities and will do everything the law allows to defend the right to do business and the rights off the press, with the means at its disposal, everywhere and at all times. »

By Ousmane SOW / ousmane.sow@lequotidien.sn 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH