The US State Department Human Rights Report suggested human rights abuses in Senegal. Nevertheless, it was reported that the government was committed to providing protection and assistance to IDPs, refugees, and stateless persons in cooperation with the Office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The Sall government also put forth efforts to investigate human rights abuses committed by former Wade administration officials. The freedom of movement was restricted due to MFDC use of mines and banditry.
In April, the MFDC leader Salif Sadio had asked for the lifting of his arrest warrant as a condition for the dialogue. As the disclosure made by the Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio — a mediator between the rebel group and the Senegalese government — no international arrest warrant was issued against the MFDC leader Salif Sadio.[fn]”Mediators say ex-Senegalese rebel chief has no arrest warrant against him,” BBC Monitoring Africa, April 14, 2013.[/efn_note]
No further developments observed.
No further developments observed.
No further developments observed.
Amnesty International reported that in general, journalists and opposition politicians were subjected to harassment and legal proceedings for expressing their opinions. Demonstrations were violently suppressed. Overall, there was very little accommodating behavior from the government.“Senegal must not curtail freedom of expression in election run-up,” Amnesty International, January 26, 2012.
A report from human rights group Article 19 decried attacks on freedom of speech and freedom of press.“Senegal: Deterioration of Press Freedom,” Article 19, August 11, 2008, http://www.article19.org/data/files/pdfs/press/senegal-deterioration-of-…
Freedom of speech, press, and assembly were limited nation-wide.
According to a news report, the past two years saw an increase in violence against journalists and political activists. Government officials denied violations of freedom of speech.[fn]”VOA News Senegal’s rap artistsÕ despair over 2007 Elections,” US Fed News, August 4, 2006.[/efn_note]
In October 2005, freedom of speech was restricted when the government closed down Senegal’s leading private radio for a day under special instructions from the Interior Ministry after the station interviewed one of the leaders of the MFDC. Employees of the station were detained. Earlier that year a minor opposition leader was arrested on charges of inciting unrest. The communications ministry released a statement which argued that Senegal’s democratic institutions could not accommodate what it termed assaults that could lead to chaos.
No developments observed this year.
