Senegal court jails three TikTok influencers for insulting the president
The court also imposed fines of 500,000 CFA francs each after prosecutors said a TikTok video targeted President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
- On Wednesday, August 5, a Dakar court convicted three Feenal Digital commentators of offending the head of state and violating public morals. The influencers, associated with the ruling PASTEF party, received custodial sentences for their TikTok posts.
- This prosecution illustrates deep divisions within Senegal's ruling party following a public split between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The state invoked Article 254 of the Senegalese Penal Code, which criminalizes insulting the president.
- Defense lawyer Abdy Nar Ndiaye argued the TikTok videos were comedic, private conversations between friends. Mandoumbe Diop, known as Lamignou Darou, received three months in prison; Magueye Diaw and Moustapha Ndiaye each received two months.
- Each commentator was also fined 500,000 CFA francs, roughly $870. Critics condemned the ruling as an assault on freedom of expression, citing the harsh use of speech laws against the government's own supporters.
- These rulings are not final, and the defense has announced an appeal. The case reflects Senegal's complex press freedom landscape, where the Constitutional Council previously struck down disproportionate media sanctions despite ongoing prosecutions.
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15 Articles
He Was Imprisoned For Criticizing The Former President, The People Made Him President. Now He Is Jailing TikTokers For Making Fun of Him.
The VerdictA court in Dakar sentenced three TikTok content creators to prison without parole for publishing videos deemed offensive to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.Mandoumbe Diop (Lamignou Darou): 3 months in prison without suspension. He commands over 500,000 followers on TikTok.Magueye Diaw (Oustaz Thiep): 2 months in prison without parole and an 890 USD fine.Moustapha Ndiaye (Ndiaye Touba): 2 months in prison without parole and an 890 USD …
The influencers work for an online content creation channel considered favorable to the Prime Minister, who entered a collision route with the President. Videos are humorous, counsel says.
Senegal jails three TikTok influencers for insulting President Faye as political tensions with former ally Sonko deepen
A Senegalese court has jailed three TikTok influencers for insulting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye as his political split with former ally Ousmane Sonko reshapes the country’s politics.
Senegal court jails three TikTok influencers for insulting the president
A Senegalese court sentenced three TikTok influencers to serve prison time and pay a fine for insulting the president, their lawyer said in a video posted on Facebook, a move that critics said was an assault on free speech in the West African country.
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