Senegal MPs adopt fiercely debated amnesty law revision
The amnesty was granted just before March 2024 elections as president Macky Sall sought to calm protests sparked by his last-minute postponement of the vote.
Senegalese police officers take position in front of the National Assembly in Dakar on 2 April 2025. Picture: SEYLLOU/AFP
DAKAR - Senegal's parliament on Wednesday adopted a revision of a law granting amnesty for deadly political violence passed by the former president, which has sparked fierce public debate.
The amnesty was granted just before March 2024 elections as president Macky Sall sought to calm protests sparked by his last-minute postponement of the vote.
Critics said the move was designed to shield perpetrators of serious crimes committed during three years of political tensions between February 2021 and February 2024.
But it also allowed the popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, who is now prime minister, to stand in the elections after court convictions had made him ineligible, as well as Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who went on to win the presidency.
Sixty-five people were killed during protests in the three-year period, 51 of whom were shot, and the vast majority of the victims were young, according to a citizen's initiative of journalists, cartographers and scientists.
In December, Sonko promised that his government would repeal the law "so that light may be shed and responsibilities determined on whatever side they may lie".
"It's not a witch hunt and even less vengeance... It's justice, the foundation without which social peace cannot be built," Sonko said in a speech to lawmakers at the time.
On Wednesday lawmakers adopted a revision of the law that removed murder, killings, torture and forced disappearance from amnesty.
Some 126 deputies voted for the measure, with 20 against in the 165-member assembly.
Amadou Ba, who drew up the bill, said it aimed to "fight against impunity for serious human rights violations".
But opposition and civil society members have criticised it, accusing the ruling Pastef party of seeking to protect their supporters.
Abdou Khafor Kandji, from the "Y'en a Marre" ("I'm fed up") citizens' movement, said the issue was being "politicised" by the ruling party.
"Now, we are no longer talking about repealing the law. We're talking about an interpretive law, we're talking about a partial repeal... an amendment," Kandji told reporters this month.
Amnesty International executive director for Senegal Seydi Gassama said a repeal would just revert the situation to where it began.
"We think this (interpretive) law will allow victims to obtain justice," he told AFP.