Senegal influencers jailed over anti-president comments

Three Senegalese influencers who support ousted prime minister Ousmane Sonko have been sentenced to prison over comments that a court interpreted as targeting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

The case stemmed from a TikTok video in which the men said they had prayed for “Senegal's greatest traitor” to be struck by paralysis, a stroke or death. The president was not named, but the court treated the remarks as referring to Faye.

The men, who are affiliated with the online platform Feenal Digital, were convicted of “insulting the head of state” and “speech contrary to public decency”.

Mandoumbe Diop, known as Lamignou Darou, was sentenced on Thursday to three months in prison and fined 500,000 CFA francs, or $880. Magueye Diaw, known as Oustaz Thiep, and Moustapha Ndiaye, known as Ndiaye Touba, each received two months in prison and the same fine.

Their lawyer, Abdy Nar Ndiaye, said no criminal offence had been committed and called the ruling a dangerous precedent. Ndiaye said the video was a satirical skit about betrayal and said the lawyers would appeal.

Faye fired Sonko, his former mentor, in May after the two fell out over issues including how to manage Senegal's debt.