Senegal's President Macky Sall bows to pressure on election
Baku, February 21, AZERTAC
At least 300 political prisoners have been released within 48 hours in Senegal. Most of them had been detained after being arrested by security forces during protests, according to Deutsche Well.
For days, Senegalese authorities restricted protests with police operations and the arrest of opposition activists. Then the government imposed a ban on demonstrations and cut off mobile internet service.
It now seems that people are slowly reclaiming their right to demonstrate and their freedom of expression, with authorized marches through the streets of Dakar and other cities over the weekend.
Nina Penda Faye, a civic activist, told DW that she is relieved by the new political developments. "We are happy that they [political prisoners] have regained their freedom," she said.
At the same time, Penda Faye spoke of frustration at how Senegalese citizens had been arbitrarily detained by police who ignored their rights.
On February 3, President Macky Sall announced the postponement of elections scheduled for February 25, triggering widespread uproar in a country that many observers view as a stable democracy.
Last week, the Senegalese Constitutional Council declared Sall's postponement of the election null and void.
Additionally, judges also declared a December 15 parliamentary vote on a new election date illegal.
Since Sall canceled the election, there have been no more campaigns. Several opposition politicians have been arrested during protests.
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