by David shedrack

• There’s a social media shutdown in Senegal as government blames digital platforms for promoting riots.
• Opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, was sentenced to two years for a sex offence.
• Nine people have reportedly died during the riots.

Authorities in Senegal partially shut down the internet on Thursday night as protests rocked the country amid the jail sentence handed to opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.In a televised address on Thursday night, the country’s Interior Minister, Antoine Diome, said the country had partially shut down the internet because it was the source of riots currently underway.

Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram are the apps that are now blocked in the country.

“Having noted the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages on social networks, the State of Senegal, in all sovereignty, has decided to temporarily suspend the use of certain digital applications through which calls for violence and hatred are made,” he said.

Diome added that nine people had died and that public infrastructure had been destroyed due to the riots.

“We have noted, with regret, violence that has led to the destruction of public and private property and, unfortunately, nine deaths in Dakar and Ziguinchor,” he said.

Sonko, 48, a former chief tax inspector and current leader of the Patriots of Senegal for Ethics, Work, and Fraternity (PASTEF), was sentenced to two years for “corrupting young people”.

He survived a more serious rape charge.

“Corrupting young people” refers to encouraging a person under 21 to indulge in sex, which is a crime under Senegalese law.

The crime was committed in 2021, and the victim was a 20-year-old massage parlour employee.

Ndèye Khady Ndiaye, Sonko’s co-accused and the owner of a beauty salon where the politician was accused of abusing a female employee, was also handed a two year sentence.

Sonko’s sentencing could mean that he won’t be eligible to stand for election in next year’s presidential elections.

In 2019, he was president Macky Sall’s main challenger. 

With his stock rising ahead of polls, Sonko is a threat to the ruling Alliance for the Republic–Yakaar. Critics have accused Sall of intending to force a third term.

Since 2021, the criminal charges Sonko faced have been a major driver of protests because his supporters believe he was being politically persecuted.

Sonko is yet to be jailed.