Soya Diagne, General Director of the Senegalese online outlet LeDakarois, was remanded in custody on October 16, 2025, by decision of the Dakar prosecutor’s office over allegations of spreading false news.
Diagne was first arrested on October 11, 2025, while socialising with friends. Five police officers reportedly approached him and asked him to follow them to the Dakar Central Police Station without initially stating the reasons. He was later transferred to the Urban Security Division and served with a summons to return on October 13, after which he was released.
When he honoured the summons on October 13, he was placed in police custody following questioning. According to media reports, the case relates to Facebook posts he shared that were originally published by activist Ousseynou Seck, commonly known as Akhenaton. Police indicated that the measure formed part of “ongoing investigations”.
On October 16, Diagne appeared before the indictment chamber of the Dakar High Court. He was formally charged with dissemination of false news, statements contrary to public morals, and acts or manoeuvres likely to discredit the institutions of the Republic.
According to information shared by Bachir Fofana, a close associate of Diagne, the charges concern three Facebook posts containing screenshots of Akhenaton’s publications. One of the posts allegedly accused the President of the National Assembly of having an affair with a Rwandan woman.
Investigators also claimed that Diagne shared a related video containing the same allegation. Diagne has denied creating or sharing the video. According to a media report, an arrest warrant has also been requested for Ousseynou Seck, commonly known as Akhenaton, who is reportedly the original publisher of the controversial post.
The case has generated concern within sections of the media community, particularly regarding the use of criminal provisions such as “false news” to address online expression. It comes amid broader debates in Senegal about the treatment of journalists, commentators and activists over social media posts, including the continued detention of commentator Abdou Nguer since April 2025.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is concerned about the remand of Soya Diagne and urges the Senegalese authorities to ensure that any restrictions on expression comply strictly with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards. The MFWA calls for due process, proportionality in the application of the law, and safeguards to prevent the undue criminalisation of online expression.
