Sonko’s French lawyer takes action. According to the French newspaper Le Figaro , he filed a request for an investigation at the ICC against President Macky Sall, Interior Minister Antoine Diome and General Moussa Fall for “crimes against humanity”.
A first in the political history of Senegal. A complaint has been filed in France and a request for an investigation submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against the President of the Republic Macky Sall for “crimes against humanity “, announced Wednesday to AFP a French lawyer for Senegalese opponent Ousmane Sonko. The newspaper Le Figaro , which provides the information, adds that these procedures for ” crimes against humanity ” also target Interior Minister Antoine Diome, General Moussa Fall, commander of the Senegalese gendarmerie, ” as well as 112 other individuals », and concern the period going « from March 2021 to June 2023 ».
On his Facebook page, Juan Branco claims to have collected “ 4,500 pieces of evidence ” and to have identified “112 suspects” in the repression of the demonstrations of March 2021 and last June 1 and 2 which left 16 dead according to the government, 30 dead according to the Pastef party.
According to the proceedings, these ” crimes against humanity ” were ” committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population “. Macky Sall and Antoine Diome have ” ordered and supervised the commission ” of these crimes ” against unarmed demonstrators since March 2021 “, say the requests, referring to ” murders, torture and enforced disappearances “.
Mr. Branco claims to have established “ the murder of 50 people ” between March 2021 and June 2023. A press conference organized by the French lawyer is organized Thursday in Paris to present the procedures initiated. Any person or group can file a request for an investigation with the ICC prosecutor. The court then decides whether to open an investigation or not, according to the newspaper.
In his memorandum which he presented yesterday, Ousmane Sonko accuses the President of the Republic Macky Sall and the ministers Pape Malick Ndour and Doudou Ka of having recruited thugs, accused by some of being partly responsible for these killings. He also accuses the High Commander of the National Gendarmerie and the police of letting the thugs do their thing. These deaths are linked to the accusation against Ousmane Sonko, the main opponent of power, of “repeated rapes and death threats” on the masseuse Adji Sarr. Charges that the leader of Pastef categorically rejects. This is, according to him, a plot to exclude him from the presidential election of February 25, 2024.