The executive director of Amnesty International Senegal, Seydi Gassama, spoke about the multiple judicial summonses in progress and pleaded for a reform aimed at removing prison sentences linked to offenses relating to freedom of expression. He also denounced ethnicist speeches in the context of the Farba Ngom affair.
According to Seydi Gassama, the current summonses concern various cases: some result from complaints for defamation filed by individuals, others relate to proceedings initiated by the prosecution for comments made on social networks or in the media. Furthermore, he stressed that comments deemed dangerous for public order or national unity also require the intervention of the authorities.
He advocated for the removal of prison sentences related to defamation and other free speech offenses.
“We believe that defamation and freedom of expression offenses should not be punishable by prison sentences. This is what all international human rights mechanisms recommend. These penalties should be removed to guarantee true freedom of expression,” he declared on Sud FM.
However, Seydi Gassama clarified that seditious remarks or inciting conflicts must be firmly repressed by the State to preserve public order and national unity.
On the Farba Ngom affair and the ethnic accusations
Referring to the Farba Ngom affair, Mr. Gassama refuted the idea that policies targeting ethnic groups or regions are underway in Senegal.
“In this country, there is no policy targeting an ethnic group or a region. If this were the case, human rights organizations would be the first to raise their voices and condemn him. Moreover, this is not the case. Today those who cry attacks against ethnic groups are not true. For the Farba Ngom case, they will try to make us believe that it is an ethnic group that is targeted, this is not true,” he said.
Seydi Gassama recalled that Farba Ngom benefits from the presumption of innocence and that his summons by the courts must be seen as a normal act within the framework of the rule of law.
“People need to understand it like that, Farba Ngom is presumed innocent and we respect him. We ask all Senegalese to respect his presumption of innocence. But as soon as there are clues and the justice system needs to hear it, it must be heard like all citizens,” he concluded.
Senegal
