Politics
Senegalese influencers given jail for anti-president comments
The three men are affiliated with an online media platform known as Feenal Digital, which supports Sonko's Pastef party.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. (AFP/File)
By: AFP ., Journalist @New Vision
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Three Senegalese influencers who back ousted prime minister Ousmane Sonko have been sentenced to jail for comments targeting the president, in a case touching on free speech rights.
Their lawyer told AFP on Friday that the ruling set a "dangerous precedent for the justice system".
The three men are affiliated with an online media platform known as Feenal Digital, which supports Sonko's Pastef party.
The case stemmed from a video posted on TikTok in which the men said they had prayed for "Senegal's greatest traitor" to be struck by paralysis, a stroke or to die.
Although the head of state was never named, the court interpreted the remarks as targeting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
In May, Faye fired his former mentor, Sonko, whose support had carried him into office in 2024.
Once in power, the pair fell out over a number of issues, including how to manage the west African country's crippling debt.
The influencers were sentenced to jail and fined for "insulting the head of state" and "speech contrary to public decency".
Mandoumbe Diop, who goes by the name Lamignou Darou, has half a million followers on TikTok, where his videos receive tens of thousands of views.
He was sentenced on Thursday to three months in prison and a 500,000 CFA ($880) fine.
In May, Faye fired his former mentor, Sonko, whose support had carried him into office in 2024.
Once in power, the pair fell out over a number of issues, including how to manage the west African country's crippling debt.
The influencers were sentenced to jail and fined for "insulting the head of state" and "speech contrary to public decency".
Mandoumbe Diop, who goes by the name Lamignou Darou, has half a million followers on TikTok, where his videos receive tens of thousands of views.
He was sentenced on Thursday to three months in prison and a 500,000 CFA ($880) fine.
Two others, Magueye Diaw (known as Oustaz Thiep) and Moustapha Ndiaye (known as Ndiaye Touba), received two months in prison and the same fine.
"We are stunned by this decision, as we believe no criminal offence was committed," their lawyer Abdy Nar Ndiaye told AFP.
"No insulting or disrespectful remarks were made against the president of the republic and his name was not mentioned even once", they said.
According to Ndiaye, the video was a "satirical skit" in which the three influencers were "chatting among friends about the issue of betrayal".
"Senegalese democracy as it stands today does not allow for the arrest of people simply for performing a satirical skit about political figures whom they did not even explicitly name," he argued.
The influencers' lawyers said they would appeal against the decision.
"We are stunned by this decision, as we believe no criminal offence was committed," their lawyer Abdy Nar Ndiaye told AFP.
"No insulting or disrespectful remarks were made against the president of the republic and his name was not mentioned even once", they said.
According to Ndiaye, the video was a "satirical skit" in which the three influencers were "chatting among friends about the issue of betrayal".
"Senegalese democracy as it stands today does not allow for the arrest of people simply for performing a satirical skit about political figures whom they did not even explicitly name," he argued.
The influencers' lawyers said they would appeal against the decision.