Senegal revises amnesty law that covered deadly protests

DAKAR, Senegal — Senegal's parliament approved revisions to a law passed under the former president that granted amnesty for offences committed during deadly opposition protests in the West African country.

The law was passed in March 2024, shortly before the presidential election, and granted amnesty for offences by both security forces and protesters during violent demonstrations between 2021 and 2024. Rights group Amnesty International said at least 65 people were killed during the clashes.

Rights groups and lawyers criticized the law because it prevented any prosecution of the sponsors and perpetrators of the violence.

The protests were triggered by concerns that the president at the time, Macky Sall, was attempting to muzzle his opponents and seek a third term in office despite being prevented by the constitution. Sall denied seeking a third term.

The protests were exacerbated by the arrests in 2023 of the top opposition figures Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko on charges that were largely seen as politically motivated.

Faye and Sonko were released in March 2024 after the amnesty law took effect less than two weeks before the presidential election. Faye was catapulted into the presidency when Sonko — who was barred from running due to a previous conviction — backed the political novice and Faye easily beat the candidate backed by Sall.

On Wednesday, Senegalese lawmakers adopted a revision of the law removing amnesty for specific crimes including murder, torture and forced disappearance. The measure passed by a vote of 126-20.

Aissata Tall Sall, the leader of the opposition coalition Takku Wallu Senegal, criticized the measure as a "law of settling scores that risks further dividing the Senegalese, instead of reconciling them.”

“The new law does not seek revenge but justice,” Ismaïla Diallo, a lawmaker for the ruling PASTEF party, said.