DAKAR: A Senegalese television journalist has been detained on charges of contempt of court and spreading false news, his lawyer told AFP Wednesday.
Pape Ndiaye, a commentator for the Wal Fadjri news channel, had recently questioned the independence of the judiciary after the opposition politician Ousmane Sonko was on January 18 referred to a criminal court in a trial over rape accusations.
The journalist, whose lawyer said he was locked up in a jail Tuesday night pending a possible trial, had said that the majority of the judges of the public prosecutor's office had decided to dismiss the case against Sonko.
But, he alleged, the public prosecutor told them to fulfill the government's desire to put him on trial.
Ndiaye's lawyer, Moussa Sarr, confirmed the journalist's indictment and detention to AFP on Wednesday, after it was initially announced by the Coordination of Press Associations (CAP), a trade union confederation.
He said the charges include the "provocation of a crowd, contempt of court, intimidation and reprisals against a member of the judiciary, discrediting a judicial act, dissemination of false news (and) endangering the lives of others".
The Sonko case has been a source of tension for two years in Senegal.
The politician, who came third in the last presidential election, was charged with rape and death threats and placed under judicial supervision in March 2021, based on a complaint by an employee at a beauty salon where he was getting a massage.
He claims the charges are part of a plot to torpdeo his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.
Ndiaye is the second journalist to be imprisoned in recent months in Senegal.
Pape Ale Niang, a journalist from the news website Dakar Matin and critic of the government, was arrested in November and again in December.
He has been accused, among other things, of "disclosing information likely to harm national defence" and "disseminating false news" -- also in connection with the Sonko case.
He has since been placed under judicial supervision.
Senegal was ranked 73rd out of 180 countries on the 2022 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, down 24 places from the previous.
Second journalist jailed in Senegal
https://arab.news/ryfwa
Second journalist jailed in Senegal
- Pape Ndiaye, who works for Wal Fadjri news channel, has been accused of contempt of court and false news promotion
- Pape Ale Niang, a Dakar Matin reporter, was arrested in Nov. and again in Dec., accused of"disclosing information likely to harm national defence"
WhatsApp says Russia ‘attempted to fully block’ app
- Moscow has been trying to nudge Russians to use a more tightly controlled domestic online service
SAN FRANCISCO, United States: WhatsApp said Wednesday that Russia “attempted to fully block” the messaging app in the country to push users to a competing state-controlled service, potentially affecting 100 million people.
Moscow has been trying to nudge Russians to use a more tightly controlled domestic online service.
It has threatened a host of Internet platforms with forced slowdowns or outright bans if they do not comply with Russian laws, including those requiring data on Russian users to be stored inside the country.
“Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app,” WhatsApp posted on X.
“Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia,” WhatsApp added.
“We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”
Critics and rights campaigners say the Russian restrictions are a transparent attempt by the Kremlin to ramp up control and surveillance over Internet use in Russia, amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent during the Ukraine offensive.
That latest developments came after Russia’s Internet watchdog said Tuesday it would slap “phased restrictions” on the Telegram messaging platform, which it said had not complied with the laws.
