Senegal Intensifies Crackdown on Journalists Under ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy

April 16, 2024 – Senegal – 

In April 2025, Senegalese authorities escalated their crackdown on journalists under a new “zero tolerance” policy targeting the dissemination of so-called “false news.” This move has raised serious concerns among press freedom advocates, who view it as a significant step backward for media rights in the country.

On April 14, Zik FM editor-in-chief Simon Pierre Faye was charged with spreading false news after his outlet republished an article questioning public trust in President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye’s leadership. Faye was released under judicial control but remains under investigation. His arrest followed a Facebook post that was later deleted, which authorities deemed as contributing to misinformation.

On the same day, journalists Omar Ndiaye and Fatima Coulibaly from Source A TV, along with freelance commentator Abdou Nguer, were interrogated by the Dakar gendarmerie regarding their comments on the death of Mamadou Badio Camara, President of Senegal’s Constitutional Council. Nguer was detained on false news charges related to a TikTok post calling for an autopsy of Camara—a post his lawyer claims he did not author. Ndiaye and Coulibaly were released without charges.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko defended these actions, stating that the government would adopt a “zero tolerance” approach toward the spread of misinformation. This stance appears to contradict President Faye’s earlier campaign promise to decriminalize press offenses and replace imprisonment with fines.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the arrests, urging Senegalese authorities to drop all charges against the journalists and to honor commitments to press freedom. Moussa Ngom, CPJ’s Francophone Africa Representative, emphasized the need for the government to focus on advancing promised reforms rather than engaging in judicial harassment of journalists.

These developments suggest a troubling trend in Senegal, where the government’s actions are increasingly at odds with its stated commitments to uphold media freedoms. The international community and press freedom organizations continue to monitor the situation closely, advocating for the protection of journalists and the preservation of free expression in the country.

Reference – 

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1393613/journalists-arrested-in-senegal-as-prime-minister.html

Journalists arrested in Senegal as prime minister announces ‘zero tolerance’ for false news