APA-Dakar (Senegal) – More than 344 so-called political prisoners have been released in Dakar since 15 February as part of a policy of appeasement espoused by President Macky Sall.
“There have been no arbitrary releases. Every release is justified. You don’t release famous prisoners and leave unknown ones behind. Only the objective elements of the cases should be highlighted,” said Justice Minister Mrs. Aïssata Tall Sall.
Speaking at a press conference on the wave of releases of so-called political prisoners, the Minister of Justice pointed out that these were provisional releases.
“Nobody should think that things will stop here. The courts will continue to look into their cases. People will be tried and the law will be applied,” Mrs. Sall added.
With regard to the compensation demanded by some of the detainees, Aïssata Tall Sall stressed that only the final judgement will decide the case.
“These are provisional releases subject to certain conditions. People must not think that they are done with justice,” she insisted, affirming that “justice in Senegal is at the service of peace.”
Torture is prohibited in Senegal and perpetrators of ths offense are punished.
Referring to the cases of Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, Aïssata Tall Sall said: “What we are doing is because there are cases that are assessed on a case-by-case basis according to objective elements. They will be released on a case-by-case basis.”
TE/ard/lb/as/APA