Senegal: Authorities must deliver justice to victims of violent repression of protests since 2021
The amnesty law, passed on 6 March 2024, covers all acts likely to be classified as crimes or offences relating to 'demonstrations or politically motivated events', which took place between 1 February 2021 and 25 February 2024. During this period, during protests triggered by the arrest of then opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, security forces routinely deployed excessive and lethal use of force against protesters. According to figures gathered by Amnesty International and other civil society organizations, at least 65 people were killed, the majority by firearms, with at least 1,000 wounded. A further 2,000 people were arrested.
'Justice, truth and reparation require that security forces allegedly responsible for excessive and illegal use of force during protests be prosecuted. The amnesty law constitutes an obstacle that must be removed by the current Senegalese authorities, as they pledged to do,' said Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International's interim regional director for West and Central Africa.
"Justice, truth and reparation require that security forces allegedly responsible for excessive and illegal use of force during protests be prosecuted." Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International Interim Regional Director for West and Central Africa
'The financial assistance paid in 2024 to some of the victims of detentions and announced in 2025 to families of people killed during protests is a first step. However, it does not meet their need for justice, nor does it constitute a guarantee that such events will not be repeated. Senegalese authorities must repeal the amnesty law and provide justice to all victims of human rights violations during protests,' said Seydi Gassama, executive director of Amnesty International Senegal.
Background
In March 2021, the arrest of then opposition leader Ousmane Sonko as part of a judicial investigation triggered protests in Senegal. These protests continued over the next three years as the investigation remained ongoing. Protests also took place against alleged attempts by then president Macky Sall to challenge for a third term and against the delaying of the February 2024 presidential elections.
"Senegalese authorities must repeal the amnesty law and provide justice to all victims of human rights violations during protests" Seydi Gassama, Executive Director of Amnesty International Senegal
During the election campaign for the early legislative elections in November 2024, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko promised to repeal the amnesty law to bring justice to the victims of the 2021-2024 demonstrations. On 17 November 2024, the parliamentary list led by Sonko won the legislative elections by a large margin.
In 2024 the authorities provided financial assistance to some of victims of arbitrary detentions through the Ministry of the Family and Solidarities. In January 2025, the assistance was extended to the families of people killed during demonstrations and to more victims of arbitrary detentions. In its communiqué, the Ministry of Family and Solidarities identified the number of deaths during the protests at 79and the number of former detainees to be assisted at 2172. The assistance took place outside a judicial framework, but partially in consultation with the committees of political prisoners and civil society organizations, including Amnesty International.
Amnesty International has denounced the amnesty law and has been calling for the Senegalese government to uphold the right to freedom of peaceful expression and assembly as part of its 'Protect the protest' campaign.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
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