A former member of parliament, Moustapha Diakhaté, was detained on June 10, 2025, after being summoned and questioned by Senegal’s Criminal Investigations Division (DIC). He is being prosecuted for “offending the Head of State and a person exercising all or part of the powers of the Head of State.”
The charges stem from comments Diakhaté made criticising the public conduct of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, and the President of the National Assembly. At an official event, the three leaders were seen walking side by side, laughing and conversing, an act Diakhaté publicly denounced as a breach of protocol.
In a statement shared by his lawyer, the former MP who served during the previous administration of President Macky Sall, is said to have described the conduct of the three leaders as that of “gougnafiers”, a French word which according to the lawyer roughly translates to “ignorant people.”
The former MP reportedly used the term to condemn what he considered a violation of established ceremonial rules, which dictate that the President should walk ahead, followed by the President of the National Assembly, and then the Prime Minister.
According to his lawyer, Diakhaté made no statements during questioning. However, the lawyer emphasised that his client’s criticism was in the interest of defending the values and protocol of the Republic, not a personal attack on the officials.
Eight days after his arrest, on June 18, Diakhaté was brought before the Dakar Court for Immediate Offenses, which upheld the charges against him.
It is concerning that the new administration, which once in opposition was a strong advocate for a space where criticism was welcomed, now finds itself prosecuting unfavourable opinion or choice of words used by another politician.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) calls for the release of the former MP, Moustapha Diakhaté, and calls for circumspection in political and public discourse at all times.
