The UN calls for independent investigations into demonstrators killed in Senegal
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday it was "deeply concerned" by the crisis in Senegal arising from "the suspension of the presidential election".
It also denounced the "unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against demonstrators and restrictions on civic space", according to the international organization's website.
The Senegalese authorities banned a major march planned by civil society for Tuesday 13 February in Dakar against the last-minute postponement of the presidential election and the extension of the current head of state's term of office.
"We are deeply concerned by the tense situation in Senegal following the suspension of the presidential election scheduled for 25 February," said the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in a statement.
"At least three young men were killed during the protests and at least 266 people are reported to have been arrested across the country, including journalists," said an OHCHR spokesperson, Liz Throssell, at a regular UN press briefing in Geneva.
The spokesperson stressed that investigations "must be carried out promptly, thoroughly and independently, and those responsible must be held to account", adding that "those arrested during the demonstrations in Dakar and in certain regions must receive "fair treatment".
The new Aar Sunu Election ("Let's protect our election") collective, which includes dozens of trade union organizations and citizens' and religious groups, invited the Senegalese people to gather en masse for a silent march from 3pm (local time) in a district near the centre of the capital.
But the prefecture has banned the demonstration because it "risks seriously disrupting" traffic, according to an official letter published on social media.
"In a context of rising tensions and reports of further planned demonstrations, it is essential that the authorities unequivocally order the security forces to respect and guarantee human rights including," it said, urging all actors "to refrain from resorting to violence".
The UN note recalls that Senegal has been in the grip of a political crisis since President Macky Sall announced the postponement of the presidential election on 3 February, three weeks before the deadline.
Against this backdrop of calls for demonstrations, High Commissioner Türk's office also expressed concern at the suspension of mobile Internet access in Senegal on Tuesday, the day of a planned demonstration that was banned by the authorities for the second time since the start of the serious political crisis.
"It is very important to guarantee the right of access to information," insisted Ms Throssell, indicating that any restrictions must "therefore be strictly limited to what is necessary and must be as limited in time as possible".
In view of the challenges and concerns arising from the circumstances surrounding the postponement of the elections, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is calling on the government to ensure that the proposed national dialogue is as broad as possible and guarantees genuine participation by opposition groups, women, young people and marginalized groups.
"We call on the Senegalese authorities to ensure that they respect Senegal's long tradition of democracy and respect for human rights," noted the OHCHR spokeswoman.
Liz Throssell added that OHCHR's regional services were "in contact" with the authorities, but declined to give any details of these discussions.
Last Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed "the commitment of the United Nations to support the consolidation of democracy and to promote peace, stability and development in Senegal".
Last Friday, he also called on Senegalese national actors to engage in constructive dialogue and maintain a peaceful political climate, following the upheaval caused by the postponement of the presidential election scheduled for the end of February 2024, according to the UN.
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