Senegal civil society groups demand protection for critical voices

Twenty organizations have issued a joint statement calling for the protection of critical voices in Senegal following alleged threats against civil society activist Babacar Ba. The organizations report that Ba has received death threats from unidentified individuals, as well as more recent threats attributed to a political official linked to the presidential camp.

These threats follow Ba’s recent public comments on social media regarding local elections and political discussions involving President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko. The signatories are demanding that authorities take immediate measures to ensure the safety of targeted individuals and launch investigations to establish responsibility.

The statement also highlights a broader trend of increasing attacks against civil society actors, noting the frequent use of derogatory language to discredit representatives. The organizations emphasized that disagreement is a fundamental component of democracy and argued that political differences should be addressed through debate and ideas rather than through intimidation, insults, or attempts to silence critical voices.