Prominent Senegalese opponent is charged with 'offences against the president'

Senegal's opposition politician Birame Souleye Diop, member of the Pastef party, was charged on Tuesday "offencses against President Macky Sall."

Senegal's President Macky Sall during a meeting with a delegation of African leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 17, 2023. © Agency RIA Novosti via AP

Birame Souleye Diop's lawyer said  that Diop was arrested over his recent comments about President Macky Sall.

Diop is a Senegalese MP, a senior member of the Pastef political party, led by Ousmane Sonko, and one of his closest collaborators.

He's also the leader of the Yewwi Askan Wi opposition coalition in Senegal's Parliament.

He was charged with committing acts "likely to jeopardise public peace" and an "offence against the President of the Republic", his lawyer, Moussa Sarr, told French news service AFP.

Yewwi Askan Wi has denounced  what it descibes as an arbitrary and abusive decision in a statement. 

Arrestation de Birame Souleye Diop: Le groupe parlementaire Yewwi Askan wi dénonce une détention anticonstitutionnelle https://t.co/oImqN2aThT

— Dakaractu.com (@dakaractu) July 12, 2023

The charges has casued outrage in Senegal's opposition.

Pastef's spokesperson and deputy secretary general Ayib Daffé told RFI English that the charges amount to "persecution against the party", as other party members have also been arbitrarily detained.

The opposition has requested Diop's immediate release.

President Sall's intentions

On 4 July,  a day after President Sall announced that he would not run for a controversial third term in next year's election, Diop suggested that the president could make a U-turn at any point.

 At a press conference, Diop issued a "warning" to all the future candidates of Sall's party.

"Avoid eating at his house, avoid drinking his water," he said, "he is capable of poisoning you and saying, 'As we no longer have a candidate, I'm coming back'."

Diop compared Sall to Côte d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouatara, who had promised not to run in the 2020 election and finally did after his deputy died.

Diop later apologised for the comments.

But he was still arrested on 6 July 2023, as reported by RFI's correspondents in Dakar.

The uncertainty around President's Sall decision created fierce political tensions in Senegal in May and June.

• Opposition calls on President Macky Sall to clarify position on third term
• Deadly clashes hit Senegal after opposition leader Sonko sentenced

At the same time, tensions rose as Pastef's party leader, Ousmane Sonko, considered Sall's main opponent, was arrested and faced a trial for rape. 

Sonko was handed a two-year prison sentence in June for "corrupting the youth". The verdict sparked the most serious unrest in Senegal for years, leaving at least 16 dead.

(with newswires)