Uploaded July 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

---

In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections in Senegal, concern and uncertainty over whether President Macky Sall would pursue a third, unconstitutional term, along with his regime’s efforts to bar opposition leader Ousmane Sonko from the polls, fueled popular discontent, protests, and a wave of repression on dissent.

In February 2024, The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) submitted a petition to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) on behalf of two of the most high-profile dissenters imprisoned by Sall’s regime: Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye and Aliou Sané. HRF’s petition contributed to domestic and international pressure which led to the release of both men and the democratic election of Faye as president of Senegal.

Learn more about our work at the Human Rights Foundation:
Website: hrf.org
X (formerly Twitter): https://X.com/HRF
Instagram: instagram.com/hrf
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hrf
Subscribe to HRF’s Substack: humanrightsfoundation.substack.com

Join us in promoting freedom where it’s most at risk!
Donate today: hrf.org/?form=donate