Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye were released from prison this Thursday March 14. 

These two releases come following the promulgation, by the President of the Republic, Macky Sall, of the general amnesty law adopted a few days ago by the majority of deputies of the National Assembly. The said legislative text erased “all facts likely to qualify as a criminal or correctional offense committed between February 1, 2021 and February 25, 2024, both in Senegal and abroad, relating to demonstrations or having political motivations (…)”.
The mayor of Ziguinchor was arrested since Friday July 28, 2023, before being indicted, three days later, by a judge who ordered his detention for “calls to insurrection and conspiracy” against the state. .Bassirou Diomaye Faye, candidate for the presidential election, had been in preventive detention for almost a year (he was arrested in mid-April 2023 after publishing a post about magistrates). The number 2 of the ex-Pastef even lost his airtime on national television, as decided by the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council (Cnra) which cited the provisions of the Electoral Code. But even being in prison, the candidate of the “Diomaye President” coalition is one of the contenders for the presidential chair whose portraits are more visible on the ground.