A draft amnesty law submitted by Senegal’s President Macky Sall to members of the National Assembly on March 4, 2024, opens the door to impunity for serious crimes, Human Rights Watch said today.
On February 26, amid a political crisis caused by the postponement of presidential elections, and as a way of reconciling the country, President Sall announced a general amnesty law for acts relating to the political protests held between 2021 and 2024. On February 28, Senegal’s cabinet approved the draft law. The law is to be submitted to a vote by deputies in a plenary session in the coming days.
The draft amnesty law has been met with criticism from both the opposition and civil society groups. Several victims of the violence since 2021 also expressed serious concerns to Human Rights Watch that the law might hinder their chances to establish responsibility for the violence they suffered.
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