A judge in Senegal has ordered that the jailed opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, be reinstated on the voters roll for the country’s presidential elections scheduled for next February. The verdict came after a court hearing on Thursday.
The court hearing took place in Ziguinchor, the southern city where Mr Sonko was on the voters’ roll, and where he is mayor.
Mr Sonko’s name was removed from the list of those eligible to run after he was handed a two-year jail sentence in August for immoral acts towards an individual younger than 21. Sonko denied the allegation, arguing that the case was politically motivated.
Sonko’s lawyers have said that the judge’s decision on Thursday paved the way for him to run in the presidential elections. However, this has not been confirmed by government sources. Government lawyers, In a press release published on Friday, said they would appeal against the ruling.
Sonko’s supporters led protests across the country, in which at least 16 people died and hundreds were injured, after he was sentenced for “corrupting the youth”.
In late July, the opposition leader was imprisoned on fresh charges, which included calling for an insurrection, criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist enterprise and endangering state security. He embarked on a hunger strike on 30 July to protest political oppression by the government in power in Senegal.
He was hospitalised on 6 August and admitted to an intensive care unit, according to his lawyers and party. He ended the hunger strike on September 4, due to health complications.
