First update: Activists released on bail still face charges

Four of the nine activists arrested for their activism have been released on bail. All nine still face charges.

Babacar Diop, Malick Diallo Biaye, Mamadou Diallo, Souleymane Diockou and Pape Abdoulaye Touré were released on bail on 20 December 2019. Souleymane Ndjim was released on bail on 4 December. Three other activists, Guy Marius Sagna, Fallou Galass Seck and Ousmane Sarr, are still detained in Camp Penal prison in Dakar, Senegal.

Background:

After a week of hunger strikes denouncing their arbitrary arrests and detainment, eight of the nine activists ended their hunger strikes on 10 December; excluding Souleymane Ndjim, who was released on bail on 4 December.

Their lawyer appealed the judge’s refusal to release Guy Marius Sagna, Falou Galass Seck and Ousmane Sarr on bail.

Guy Marius Sagna is the only one of the three remaining activists detained who is being held in the high security unit of the prison. 

On 31 December, nine activist members of the movements Gilets rouges, Frapp and Nittu Deug – including Babacar Diop – were arrested in front of the prison, Camp Penal, where they organised a sit-in calling for the release of Guy Marius Sagna, Fallou Galass Seck and Ousmane Sarr. They were released on 2 January.

Taking action

• Email: Write email to the MOJ [email protected] and spokesperson of the government [email protected] 

• Post: Send letters and postcards by post to the MOJ and copy president.

• Social: MOJ can also be targeted on social media.

Online petitions which can be handed in to Senegalese Embassies in your own country or sent by email to [email protected] (Abdou Latif Coulibaly, spokesperson of the government) and MOJ [email protected]