DAKAR (Reuters) – Aramata Djiba, a 29-year-old kindergarten teacher from Senegal, was devastated when she was arrested and taken to a maximum security prison in Dakar with her four-month-old baby. She described the experience as feeling like the “end of the world.”
She spent six months in prison, sharing a cell and a single toilet with over 40 other women, after being indicted in September alongside five of her relatives on criminal charges that her family claims were politically motivated. Djiba was released recently under a new amnesty law signed by President Macky Sall in an effort to ease tensions ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
While Djiba is relieved to be free, she does not agree with the amnesty law, believing it was introduced by the president to protect his own reputation. Her husband, Aly Coly, expressed frustration with the process, saying that individuals should be judged for their actions rather than released without facing trial.
In September, Coly’s relatives were arrested following a raid on their shared home, where gendarmes claimed to have found Molotov cocktails in the garden. The couple’s two-year-old son was also taken during the raid and held for about a week before being returned to them. Djiba and Coly maintain their innocence, stating that they had no knowledge of any weapons on their property.
The justice ministry and gendarmerie declined to comment on Djiba’s case or the overall impact of the amnesty law. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns that the law may absolve security forces of excessive use of force against protesters.
Amnesty International estimates that over 700 individuals were released prior to the law’s passing, many of whom were peaceful demonstrators arrested for exercising their right to free speech.
Between 1,200 and 1,600 people have been detained in Senegal since 2021 in connection with anti-government protests, according to rights groups and the opposition coalition. Djiba and her relatives faced a range of charges, including criminal association, conspiracy against the state, and possession of weapons.
Senghor, the family’s lawyer, noted that without the amnesty law, their trials could have dragged on for years. Senegal, typically known for its stable democracy, has experienced significant unrest in recent years over political disputes and concerns about presidential term limits.
Following Sall’s decision to forego a third term and attempts to postpone the election, fresh protests erupted, leading to a court-mandated rescheduling of the vote. With multiple candidates vying for the presidency, the upcoming election is expected to be fiercely contested.
Djiba and Coly, supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, believe that the arrests were politically motivated due to their affiliation with the opposition party. Many individuals who were detained during the unrest are now considering voting against the ruling party in the upcoming election.
The family has faced significant challenges as a result of their detention, with Djiba losing her job and other relatives experiencing setbacks in their education and career plans. Despite their release, the impact of the time lost during their imprisonment is irreversible.
As Senegal prepares for a pivotal election, the legacy of recent unrest and the implications of the amnesty law continue to shape the political landscape of the country.
