Senegal: Authorities Arrest Ndèye Astou Bâ on Charges of Slander & Inciting Murder

News presenter arrested alongside three journalists from Allô Sénégal

Location: Senegal, Dakar
Date: November 11, 2023

The Coalition for Women in Journalism and Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the arrest of four journalists from the online news outlet Allô Sénégal and demands their immediate and unconditional release. The journalists, Ndèye Astou Bâ, Papa El Hadji Omar Yally, Daouda Sow, and Maniane Sène Lô, have been charged with defamation and incitement following a complaint by Senegal's Minister of Tourism and Leisure. Despite retracting the offending report and issuing an apology, they are facing severe charges and lengthy prison sentences if convicted. 

Agents from the Criminal Investigations Division (DIC) arrested Ndèye Astou Bâ, Papa El Hadji Omar Yally, Daouda Sow, and Maniane Sène Lô on November 11, 2023, and transferred them to the DIC police station in Dakar. The charges stem from a November 9 broadcast by Allô Sénégal, discussing allegations of adultery against Minister of Tourism and Leisure, Mame Mbaye Kan Niang. 

The outlet later removed the report and issued an apology, acknowledging its inaccuracy.

On November 17, 2023, a Dakar court charged the four journalists with defamation, public insults, and falsely claiming to be journalists. They were also charged with incitement to the crime of murder without effect and advocating for the crime of murder for comments made during the broadcast, claiming that the penalty for Niang's alleged adultery under Islamic law would be death. Famara Faty, their lawyer, clarified that the Islamic provisions on adultery are not applied in Senegal.

Ndèye Astou Bâ was transferred to Liberté 6's women's prison, while the other three journalists were sent to Rebeuss prison, both in Dakar. The charges carry severe penalties under Senegal's penal code. Two years imprisonment for falsely claiming to be a journalist without proper credentials and defamation, a potential two-month sentence for public insult, and up to five years imprisonment for incitement to the crime of murder.

The court also leveled charges of falsely claiming to be a journalist against reporter Mamadou Lamine Dièye and technician Moussa Diop, even though they were not present at the Allô Sénégal offices during the recording of the program about the Minister. The court released them under judicial supervision.

The arrests of the journalists in Senegal raises concerns about media freedom in what was previously considered a vibrant and pluralistic media environment. International human rights organizations point to an increased crackdown on protests and critical journalists in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections.

In May 2023, journalist Maty Sarr Niang, from Kéwoulo, was arrested in Dakar and charged with "undermining public security" and "usurping the function of a journalist." If convicted, she could be sentenced to five years in prison and fined. Kéwoulo's director, Babacar Touré, links her detention to critical reporting and Facebook posts against Senegalese authorities, exposing a pattern of targeting dissenting journalists to instill fear within the community.

Senegal's decline of 31 places in the 2022 Reporters Without Borders press freedom ranking is attributed to the prosecution of journalists Pape Alé Niang and Pape Ndiaye and a broader deterioration in press freedoms. In November 2022, the detention of prominent journalist Pape Alé Niang led to protests in Dakar and condemnation from press freedom organizations.

The detention of the Allô Sénégal journalists not only stifles their voices but sends a chilling message across the journalistic landscape, creating a climate of fear that hampers free expression. The outlet has removed the allegedly defamatory video, and apologized for its inaccuracy, the continued prosecution of the journalists considering this is vengeful and unnecessary. The Coalition for Women in Journalism and Women Press Freedom calls on the Senegalese authorities to respect press freedom, cease the criminalization of media work, and uphold the principles of free speech. We urge the immediate release of the detained journalists and the dropping of all charges.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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