Political unrest in Senegal from March 2021 to February 2024 led to the deaths of 65 individuals, with the majority of fatalities caused by gunfire, according to a report released on Tuesday by a citizen’s collective.
The collective, made up of journalists, cartographers, and scientists, revealed that most victims were young, with the average age being 26. Among the deceased, 51 were killed by gunshots, while others were workers or schoolchildren, the report stated. The youngest victim was 14 years old, and the oldest was 53.
Despite previous tolls from rights groups and Family Minister Maimouna Dieye’s report of 79 deaths in early February, the Senegalese government under ex-president Macky Sall had never released an official tally of those killed during the unrest.
The CartograFreeSenegal collective, in collaboration with Amnesty International, verified each death by contacting victims’ families and investigating every case through journalists on the ground.
The political instability arose amid tensions between Sall and opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who became the country’s prime minister after his party won elections in 2024. Sonko’s supporters began protesting in response to sexual assault charges against him, which were later reduced to corruption accusations, leading to deadly riots.
In December 2023, Sonko indicated his government would reconsider an amnesty law that had granted clemency to those involved in violence during the period of unrest. The law, enacted just before the 2024 elections, was introduced by Sall’s administration, who faced widespread criticism over the potential for a third presidential term.
