Several dead in Senegal opposition leader’s conviction

At least nine people died in Senegal in clashes between security forces and supporters of opponent Ousmane Sonko.

It follows Sonko’s two-year prison sentence for “youth corruption” which calls into question his candidacy for the presidential election of 2024.

“We noted with regret violence that led to the destruction of public and private property and, unfortunately, nine deaths in Dakar and Ziguinchor,” Interior Minister Antoine Diome said on national television, who also acknowledged restriction by the authorities of access to social networks.

“Having noted the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages on social networks, the State of Senegal in all sovereignty has decided to temporarily suspend the use of certain digital applications”, said the minister.

He called for calm and assured that the state was taking “all necessary security measures”.