Towards Justice and

The Citizen’s Club for Justice and Peace, based in Bordeaux, has renewed its call for the extradition of former Senegalese President Macky Sall, who has settled in Morocco with his wife since leaving power on April 2 2024. This request is based on the bilateral judicial cooperation agreement signed between Senegal and Morocco in 1967.

In a letter addressed to Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, the Club stressed that the extradition of Macky Sall would represent a strong step to restore justice and the rule of law in Senegal. The collective highlights the political violence that led to the deaths of more than 80 people between 2021 and 2024, affirming that these events, although covered by a controversial amnesty law, must be re-examined within the framework of a fair trial. The questioning of the amnesty law, recently raised by the Prime Minister before the Senegalese National Assembly, constitutes a key demand of the Club. According to the collective, this law deprives victims of political violence of access to justice and protects the alleged perpetrators of the crimes. Consequently, the Club calls for the repeal of this law and the holding of fair trials to ensure impartial and transparent justice. The collective also accuses Macky Sall of having exploited Senegalese institutions, in particular justice and parliament, for personal ends. In their letter, they denounce “an excessive use of state violence”, having led to the death of dozens of demonstrators and the arbitrary arrest of more than 1,000 political opponents, journalists and activists. The Club advocates for the establishment of a clear criminal statute regarding the responsibility of presidents of the Republic, in order to guarantee that they can be judged for abuses of power or serious violations of human rights, even after their mandate. They cite as examples similar models in South Africa and South Korea, where heads of state have been brought to justice for actions committed during their presidency.

The Citizen’s Club for Justice and Peace proposes several measures to support a possible extradition of Macky Sall: Creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission: This body, made up of representatives of victims, legal experts and members of civil society , would have the mission of collecting testimonies and laying the foundations for lasting national reconciliation. Guarantees of fairness in legal proceedings: The collective recommends the supervision of trials by independent judges in order to avoid any perception of political persecution. The Club also invites the Senegalese authorities to engage in diplomatic dialogue with Morocco to facilitate extradition, while respecting international standards. Such an approach, according to them, would strengthen the credibility of Senegalese judicial institutions and their capacity to handle complex cases in a sovereign and impartial manner. In its letter, the Club urges President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye to make this extradition a symbol of renewal for Senegal. According to them, this initiative would mark a firm desire to turn the page on past divisions and build a rule of law where no one is above the law. The Club concludes by calling for a burst of political responsibility, believing that justice and reconciliation are essential prerequisites for building a democratic and peaceful future for all Senegalese.