Senegal Riots Result to 9 Dead After Opposition Leader Sentenced to Prison

Police and supporters of Ousmane Sonko clashed after the Senegalese opposition leader was sentenced to prison. Unfortunately, the Senegal riots left nine individuals from Dakar and Ziguinchor killed.

Reports say the clash between police officers and supporters of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko left nine individuals killed on June 2. Most of the deaths happened during the Senegal riots in the capital, Dakar, and the city of Ziguinchor where Sonko is the mayor.

An article in Fox News states that due to this, authorities issued a blanket ban on the use of social media platforms. Some sites like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp that are used by demonstrators to instigate Senegal riots have already been suspended.

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Sonko’s Conviction Caused Senegal Riots

According to an article in Al Jazeera, on June 1, Sonko was convicted but was later acquitted on the charges of rape of a woman and making death threats against her. Reports say Sonko did not attend his trial in Dakar but was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Since the announcement of the verdict, Senegal riots have been happening throughout the country. The main university in Dakar was forced to close and students started leaving the compound on June 2. To date, Sonko’s lawyer stated that a warrant had not yet been issued for his client’s arrest.

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