Following Ousmane Sonko’s exit from the Dakar courtroom where a libel lawsuit against him is being heard on Thursday, police used tear gas to scatter hundreds of his supporters.
The protests are the most recent manifestation of instability in the West African nation, where Sonko and President Macky Sall may face off in elections next year if the latter seeks a third term.
The government announced on Thursday that elections would be held on February 25, 2024, but Sall, 61, has not ruled out running. Sonko’s supporters and several opposition leaders say the libel lawsuit and other lawsuits are an attempt to harm a beloved rival.
In a volatile area, Senegal has long been regarded as a stronghold of democracy. Sall’s crackdown on political opponents and on anti-Sonko marches, however, has angered others, particularly among Sonko’s younger supporters.
After Sonko, 48, was detained in 2021 on suspicion of sexual assault, for which he is currently on trial, violent clashes erupted all over Senegal. For allegedly accusing the tourist minister of embezzlement, he is also charged with libel. A further adjournment to March 16 was made after that case was heard in court on Thursday.