When politician and activist Ousmane Sonko was imprisoned in June of this year for allegedly corrupting young people, civil unrest broke out.
According to reports, 23 individuals lost their lives, and more than 500 people were arrested.
The Senegalese government implemented a social media blockade on platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter to curb support for Sonko.
Sonko has been removed from the electoral roll and has been in prison since the end of July on other charges.
Sonko founded the Patriots of Senegal for Ethics, Work and Fraternity(PASTEF) party, which champions economic nationalism and anti-corruption initiatives.
He serves as a direct opposition leader to President Macky Sall in the 2024 presidential election.
Due to his strong opposition, he believes that the sexual allegations of rape made against him in 2021 were politically motivated.
On 12 October, a judge ordered Sonko reinstated on the electoral roll. Still, the Ministry of the Interior has refused to issue him the official forms that would enable him to collect his sponsorships.
The country’s Electoral Commission(Cena) said in a letter that it “invites the direction of générale des élections to take the necessary measures to ensure that the sponsorship form is made available to Ousmane Sonko’s representative as soon as possible.”
The Cena controls and supervises the electoral process but cannot compel the Ministry of Interior to do so as they organise the elections.
Ousmane Sonko’s lawyers have appealed to the ECOWAS Court of Justice to suspend the dissolution of the PASTEF party and have it restored in the 2024 presidential election scheduled for the 25 February 2024.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice is set to give its verdict on the Sonko case on the 6 November.
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