Over 400 individuals, including academics, judges, lawyers, former detainees, and human rights advocates, delivered 30 recommendations to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye regarding priority reforms in the justice sector. These recommendations, detailed in an 87-page report, emerged from a collective five-day discussion held at the end of May.
Among the identified priorities is the decolonization of judicial symbols such as the black robe, sword, and scales—imagery inherited from the French judicial system. Participants advocate for embracing African references instead. Another consensus pertains to replacing the current Constitutional Council with a more independent Constitutional Court, where judges are elected rather than appointed by the president. This new court would also have the authority to initiate cases independently.
The report also proposes the establishment of a magistrate for liberties to reduce the automatic use of pretrial detention. This would limit the prosecutor’s unilateral decision-making power regarding detention, thereby mitigating politically motivated incarcerations. Additionally, there’s a call to regulate the return to the prosecutor’s office to prevent prolonged periods of custody exceeding 96 hours, which are still common.
A contentious issue surrounds the reform of the Council of Magistrates. Should the President of the Republic remain a member, or should this position be reevaluated for greater institutional independence? While civil society largely advocates for the president’s withdrawal from the council, magistrates argue for the president’s continued involvement. This decision rests with Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has committed to implementing consensus-based reform proposals, though no specific timeline has been set.