CPJ calls for journalists’ safety, freedom following arrests, attacks in Senegal
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Loading... - Yvonne Asare
- 07 Oct 2024
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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is urging Senegalese authorities to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists, following a series of arrests and attacks on journalists in the capital, Dakar. The CPJ is calling on the authorities to stop arresting journalists for their work and to hold accountable those responsible for the attacks on journalists Ngoné Diop and Maty Sarr Niang.
Recently, journalists Kader Dia and Cheikh Yerim Seck were detained by the police special cybersecurity division. Dia was arrested over comments he made about alleged police corruption during a Sen TV online broadcast, while Seck was detained over a 7TV program in which he questioned the accuracy of a budget-related announcement by the Prime Minister. Although both journalists were released and had their cases dropped, the CPJ is concerned about the repeated detentions of journalists and the harm it causes to press freedom in Senegal.
Additionally, Diop and Niang, both reporters for the privately owned news site Sans Limites, were attacked by supporters of opposition leader Bougane Guèye Dany while trying to cover his arrival for questioning at the cybercrime division. The supporters insulted Diop and prevented her from covering the event, and also slapped Niang in the head and criticized her coverage of Dany.
The CPJ is urging the Senegalese authorities to take swift action to prevent further harm to press freedom and to ensure that journalists can operate without fear of arrest or attack. The organization is also calling on the authorities to hold accountable those responsible for the attacks on Diop and Niang.
