Amnesty International Tells Senegal to Relook at Amnesty Law for Security Forces

(3 Minutes Read)

Amnesty International emphasizes that achieving justice and accountability necessitates the prosecution of security personnel implicated in the unlawful use of force during these protests.

Senegalese authorities are urged to ensure justice, truth, and reparations for the thousands affected by the violent suppression of protests from 2021 to 2024, as highlighted by Amnesty International on the anniversary of a controversial amnesty law for security forces.

This law, enacted on March 6, 2024, shields individuals from prosecution during politically charged demonstrations that happened between February 1, 2021, and February 25, 2024

The protests, sparked by the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, saw security forces employing excessive and often lethal force, resulting in at least 65 fatalities, primarily from gunfire, along with over 1,000 injuries and around 2,000 arrests.

Amnesty International emphasizes that achieving justice and accountability necessitates the prosecution of security personnel implicated in the unlawful use of force during these protests.

The organization argues that the amnesty law presents a significant barrier to justice, one that the Senegalese government must address as part of its commitment to uphold human rights.

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Marceau Sivieude, the interim regional director for West and Central Africa at Amnesty International, stresses the importance of removing this obstacle to ensure that those responsible for the violence are held accountable.