Sénégal: three influencers handed prison sentences for insulting the head of state
Three prominent social media personalities from Sénégal, closely aligned with the former ruling party Pastef, have been sentenced to prison terms following the release of a controversial video on TikTok. The ruling comes amid escalating political tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former ally, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
In a landmark court decision, three Sénégalais influencers—Mandoumbe Diop (alias Lamignou Darou), Magueye Diaw (Oustaz Thiep), and Moustapha Ndiaye (Ndiaye Touba)—were handed prison sentences and fined 500,000 CFA francs each. The trio was convicted on charges of offense to the head of state and violating public morality after a video they posted on TikTok went viral.
The video, filmed during a religious gathering, featured the influencers making veiled but pointed remarks about a high-ranking official, calling for divine punishment including paralysis, stroke, or death. While the president’s name was never explicitly mentioned, the court ruled that the comments were clearly directed at President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Political backdrop fuels legal dispute
The sentencing arrives at a critical juncture in Sénégal’s political landscape. Tensions between President Faye and Ousmane Sonko have reached a boiling point following the president’s decision to form his own political party, effectively severing ties with his former mentor. The influencers’ legal team has vowed to appeal, arguing that the video was a form of satirical commentary and not an explicit call for harm against the president.
Me Abdy Nar Ndiaye, representing the defendants, condemned the ruling as a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression in the country. He emphasized that the video lacked direct references to the president, describing it instead as a humorous critique of political figures.
