It all started with a massage parlour. The “Sweet beauty” affair, which caused multiple and violent demonstrations between 2021 and 2023, finally dealt a serious blow to Senegal’s image internationally. Nearly 30 dead, presence of “thugs”, attacks on diplomatic missions,… the pictures are very dark.

The violence that erupted in Senegal in early June, following the sentencing of Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for “youth corruption” in the “Sweet Beauty” case of Adji Sarr, have not left the international community indifferent. Indeed, at the continental level, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU), organizations of which Senegal is a member, have all stated that they are following “with concern” the situation which prevails in the country of Teranga.

France, some of its companies are targeted, also says it is “extremely concerned” by this violence, having left 16 dead. As for the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, he called for “calm” and “restraint”.

At the same time, the embassies of different countries alerted their respective nationals calling on them to be “cautious”.

International organizations such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have also condemned the outbreak of violence, regretting at the same time the arrest, imprisonment of journalists and the restrictions of internet access in this country for a long time. presented as a model of democracy in Africa.

The visible hand of Juan Branco

But, it should be noted that if Senegal’s image is tarnished abroad, it is also because on the media level, the most influential press organs such as France 24, New York Times, Tv5, Le Monde, among others, were interested in what is known as the “thugs” whose presence is noticed during the recent riots. Most have, moreover, through investigations and reports, dismantled the images projected by the Senegalese police, showing unidentified people using firearms.

The other significant fact is the tough “battle” on social networks, but above all the role of the lawyer Me Juan Branco, constituted by Ousmane Sonko, since the case opposing him to the Minister of Tourism, Mame Mbaye Niang. Turned away upon his arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport (Aibd), the French lawyer is now leading his case on the web, commenting on a daily basis on everything that is happening in the country. He publishes an average of three to four posts on his Twitter account which has no less than 241,600 subscribers.

For the past few days, Mr. Branco has been gathering “evidence” to bring the Senegalese authorities before international courts such as the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A “demonization campaign” of Senegal internationally, which President Macky Sall was indignant about during his closing speech at the launch of the national dialogue, on the eve of the verdict of the “Sweet beauty” trial.

“We follow everything that happens in this country. There is an orchestrated smear campaign against the Republic. If it was just me, I could defend myself. But against the Republic, Senegal, that I will never accept, ”he warned.

Closure of Consulates General abroad

But, less than two weeks later, the UN Human Rights Office, “deeply concerned” by the evolution of the human rights situation in Senegal, regretted “a dark precedent” in the use of firearms by security forces against demonstrators. Not without also calling for an “independent investigation” into the death of these demonstrators. The services of High Commissioner Volker Türk have also taken note of the decision of the Senegalese authorities to open investigations: “We ask to ensure that they are rapid, independent and thorough”.

On the political level, the image of Senegal is also exposed at the level of the French Parliament with, in particular, the exit of the deputies of rebellious France.

“The political situation in Senegal has been worrying for several years. It has become a habit for President Macky Sall to eliminate political adversaries, and not the least, at the approach of each presidential election, by using the judicial institution, “hammered, in a press release, Manuel Bompard, Henrik Davi and Sebastien Delogu. These parliamentarians from Bouches du Rhône respectively from the 4th, 5th and 7th constituency recall, in fact, “that after Karim Wade and Khalifa Sall in 2019, it is today Ousmane Sonko who is undergoing judicial harassment, the main objective of preventing him from being a candidate for the next presidential elections in February 2024”.

In response to this missive, deputies of the Senegalese presidential majority speak of “a shame for French democracy and for their people”. Me El Hadji Omar Youm, Abdou Mbow and Abdoulaye Vilane underlined that this press release from their colleagues from rebellious France on the situation in Senegal strikes by its brutality.

“He disguises political reality and clearly violates the basic rules of Courtesy that the deputy must observe at all times in order to honor his mandate, which is essentially national. Respecting the sovereignty of foreign countries and their people is of no concern to you,” they thundered.

Be that as it may, our country was forced to temporarily close its Consulates General following attacks and acts of vandalism that they suffered between June 1 and 3, 2023. A first in the political history of Senegal.

The counter-offensive of Senegalese diplomacy

Faced with this series of “griefs”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has never ceased to “save” the image of our country. First of all, Me Aïssata Tall Sall and his services made a point of reassuring, through a meeting, the members of the diplomatic corps established in Dakar, by reaffirming the determination of the Senegalese government to ensure peace and public order so that no one be worried. Above all, Ms. Sall highlighted Senegal’s commitment to democracy, the preservation of human rights and freedoms within the framework of a strong and respected state. A forum during which the head of Senegalese diplomacy announced that legal proceedings have been initiated to determine responsibilities related to recent events in the country.

Beyond this explanation session in front of the ambassadors accredited to Dakar and other classic media outings, no less than three press releases between June 1 and today (June 14). The latest is signed this Tuesday, June 13, a document in which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted, in the events that took place in early June 2023 in Dakar and in certain other localities in Senegal, “acts which have absolutely nothing to do with the exercise of the rights of expression and demonstration”. Deploring, moreover, “extremely serious attacks” against the Senegalese State, aimed at “sowing terror and bringing our country to a standstill”, Aïssata Tall Sall and her services reaffirmed “the imperative need to protect our Republic” against “this terrorism”.