Senegal: Opposition Leader Gets Two-Month Suspended Sentence For Defamation

A Senegalese court on Thursday gave opposition politician Ousmane Sonko a two-month suspended prison sentence for defaming a minister.

48-year-old Ousmane Sonko had to account for fabrication, slander, and defamation directed at Mame Mbaye Niang, the Minister of Tourism.

The court also imposed a fine of 200 million CFA francs (300,000 euros.) on Sonko, who was not present for the hearing, in addition to the two-month punishment with a suspended penalty. 

The fine is to be paid to the minister. It absolved him of the slander and fabrication offences.

Sonko's legal counsel claims that the opposition lawmaker is still qualified to stand for president in 2024.

The third-place finisher in the 2019 presidential race, the opponent, and his followers allege that the government is using the courts to remove him from office and make way for incumbent Macky Sall.

Opposition's call for protests on Wednesday and Thursday appeared to have little effect on the sentence and the court order.  

Hundreds of people have been arrested in recent weeks for protests including Sonko's supporters.