Senegal: Demonstrations in Dakar July 6

Event

A demonstration is expected to take place in the capital Dakar on Friday, July 6, in support of jailed opposition leader and city mayor Dakar Khalifa Sall. Demonstrators are expected to march from the Radio Television Senegalaise roundabout to the Post office in the Medina area. The march is being held to demand Sall's release from jail, which the Court of Justice for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ruled was arbitrary on June 29. A similar demonstration, set to coincide with Sall's scheduled court appearance, will likely take place on Monday, July 9, in front of the Palais de Justice. Heightened security measures and traffic disruptions are anticipated around protest sites.

Context

Khalifa Sall, the leader of the opposition coalition Manko Taxawu Senegal (MTS), has been in prison since March 2017 on embezzlement charges but was nevertheless elected to parliament in July 2017, without being able to take his seat. On November 25, 2017, the National Assembly lifted Sall's parliamentary immunity, allowing his trial to proceed and prompting his supporters to stage a series of protests throughout Dakar.

Advice

Individuals in Dakar and across the country are advised to remain vigilant, monitor the situation via local media, and avoid any form of public demonstration or public gathering due to the risk of violence