Senegal: Journalist Maty Sarr Niang Faces 5 Years In Prison For “Undermining National Security”
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the government's targeting of critical journalists and demands her immediate release
Location: Senegal, Dakar
Date: May 24, 2023
Senegalese authorities escalate crackdown of dissenting voices with the arrest and detention of Kéwoulo journalist Maty Sarr Niang. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the state’s curtailing of media freedom ahead of the 2024 presidential election. We demand the journalist's immediate and unconditional release.
On May 24, an investigating judge charged Maty Sarr Niang with "acts and maneuvers that could undermine public security" and "usurping the function of a journalist," linked to her work with investigative news organization Kéwoulo.
She faces up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to US$2,500 if convicted.
Authorities arrested the journalist at her home in Dakar on May 16.
Babacar Touré, the director of Kéwoulo, says the journalist's detention was linked to her reporting and her personal Facebook posts criticizing the Senegalese authorities.
Touré told CPJ that authorities target any journalist not aligned with their views, aiming to instill fear within the journalist community.
On June 20, Senegalese authorities released two detained journalists, Pape Ndiaye, and Serigne Saliou Gueye, pending prosecution but failed to release Sarr Niang.
According to reports, after receiving the charge, she is detained under a “warrant of committal.”
Sarr Niang’s charges
In Senegal, being placed under a warrant of committal means that a court orders a person to be taken into custody and detained in prison.
In the context of "undermining state security," a warrant of committal may be issued if a person is suspected of committing acts deemed to threaten the state's security.
Human rights organizations have criticized using warrants of committal in Senegal as a tool for suppressing dissent and opposition to the government. Some activists and journalists have been arrested and detained under vague charges of "undermining state security" and held in prison without trial for extended periods.
Increasing Threats to media freedom in Senegal
Generally considered a vibrant and pluralistic media environment, the recent arrests of journalists in Senegal have sparked concerns for media freedom.
International human rights organizations have noted increased repression of protests and critical journalists in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections.
In 2022, Senegal fell 31 places in the latest Reporters Without Borders ranking due to the prosecution of journalists Pape Alé Niang and Pape Ndiaye and the general deterioration in press freedoms.
In November 2022, the detention of prominent journalist Pape Alé Niang sparked protests in Dakar and outrage from press freedom organizations.
Alé Niang was charged with disseminating information that had the potential to undermine national security after he shared a video report on a politically sensitive case. The report involved rape allegations against a prominent opposition politician and a potential presidential candidate in the 2024 elections. He was conditionally released, under restrictions, on January 10, 2023.
On June 1, 2023, the Senegalese government was widely criticized for suspending private broadcaster Walf TV for thirty days.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned with the government’s crackdown on dissenting voices in Senegal. Critical journalism and independent reporting are vital, especially in the run-up to a presidential election. Charging and detaining journalists under vague national security laws is unacceptable. We demand that the Senegalese government stops repressing journalists and immediately release Maty Sarr Niang.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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