Senegal’s violent protests reveal that its long-stable democracy is fragile, after all
At the beginning of March, Senegal was rocked by the most violent protests of its recent history. The demonstrations spread spontaneously throughout the country after the police arrested Ousmane Sonko, a member of parliament and prominent opposition leader. Accused of rape by a 20-year-old masseuse a month earlier, Sonko was arrested and charged with “disturbing public order” as he was headed to court to respond to the rape allegations. Because of the protests, he was released less than a week after his arrest, under judicial supervision.
In Dakar, Senegal’s capital, and in other cities where the protests broke out, security forces responded to the popular unrest by firing live bullets at opposition supporters, leaving at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured.… Seguir leyendo »