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Ousmane Sonko denied wrongdoing and said the charges against him were politically motivated.
Police clashed with protesters in several neighborhoods in the Senegalese capital Dakar, including outside a courthouse where an opposition leader made his first appearance since his arrest for rape.
A lawyer for Ousmane Sonko said he was charged with rape and threats, allegations that have led to clashes since his arrest Wednesday between his supporters and police in several towns, with at least one person killed.
Sonko, a 46-year-old tax inspector who is widely followed among young people, has denied the wrongdoing and says the charges against him are part of a scheme by authorities of using criminal charges to prevent opponents from appearing in court. elections.
Authorities responded to the protests by limiting internet access and suspending broadcasting on two private television stations that covered the protests. On Friday, they also banned motorcycles and mopeds, popular among Sonko’s young political base, from the streets of the capital.
Man pulls cable out of burnt out car left after protesters reached Dakar central business district [John Wessels/AFP]
Nicolas Haque of Al Jazeera, reporting from Dakar, said: “We have soldiers who have been deployed to key strategic locations, especially those leading to the presidential palace.
“The challenge for the security forces is to prevent any kind of looting that we saw late last night when protesters attacked supermarkets, gas stations and also ATMs trying to get money. ‘money,’ he added.
Internet monitor NetBlocks said social media and messaging apps, including Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube, were restricted early on Friday. Preparing for the violence, some schools and shops were closed.
Police in full protective gear guarded the Dakar courthouse while Sonko appeared before a judge. The hearing will continue on Monday.
The United Nations representative in the region, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, in a statement, on Friday called for restraint and calm, and urged the Senegalese government to “take the necessary measures to ease tensions”.
A resident told Reuters news agency that a pandemic-related curfew and general discontent with President Macky Sall were also arousing public anger.
“I don’t think things will be calm. People are standing up, ”said Souleymane Diallo, a 24-year-old fashion worker.
Rape charge
A beauty salon worker accused Sonko last month of raping her. He says the case was invented to undermine him. Parliament stripped him of his immunity as a legislator last week.
The opposition fears the case may be Sall’s attempt to remove a potentially popular rival if he decides to run for a third term in 2024.
Other rivals have been targeted by criminal charges in the past, including former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade, son of former President Abdoulaye Wade, eliminating them from the 2019 presidential race.
The government denies the political motives behind this affair. Sall, 59, in power since 2012, has not commented on reports he could run for a third term despite a constitutional limit of two terms.
Rights group Amnesty International expressed concern over the authorities’ handling of the situation, citing a wave of arrests, the use of live weapons and the suspension of broadcasters.
“We call on the Senegalese authorities to respect the freedom of peaceful assembly throughout the country,” Amnesty regional director Samira Daoud said in a statement.
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