The Senegalese government denounces the accusations made in a report by the lawyer for alleged crimes against humanity
July 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Senegalese authorities have opened a judicial investigation and issued an arrest warrant against the lawyer for opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, the lawyer Juan Branco, who last month accused the government of the African country of committing crimes against humanity during its most violent repression of protests for the release of the detained dissident.
The origin of the arrest warrant is a document presented at the end of last month by the French lawyer before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to request a preliminary investigation of the last two years of political violence in the country.
Accompanied by highly graphic images of alleged protesters mutilated in the face and body by the violence of the Police and associated gangs, Branco’s report details these crimes as “part of a generalized attack committed as part of a generalized and systematic attack against the civilian population.” “, by the security forces of the president, Macky Sall.
Tension in the country peaked early last month, with the death of more than 15 people after Sonko was sentenced to two years in prison for “corruption of youth” in the framework of a trial for alleged rape and threats. of death, charges that were ultimately dismissed.
Now, and after “reviewing Mr. Juan Branco’s collection of statements, writings, and publications through all the media,” the Senegalese authorities say they have identified “elements that are clearly capable of compromising his criminal responsibility,” according to a statement collected by the Senegalese news portal Senego.
Likewise, the Public Prosecutor’s Office has decided to open a judicial investigation against the aforementioned for various events classified as crimes and misdemeanors. Therefore, “an international arrest warrant has been requested against him,” the note added.
The opposition has denounced on several occasions that all this violence was part of a plan orchestrated by Sall to consolidate his control over the country with a view to his possible candidacy for a controversial third term not contemplated by the Constitution. However, Sall ended up publicly renouncing that possibility.
