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The Senegalese government has temporarily severed mobile internet services in the country, hence, preventing its citizens from sharing hateful comments on their social media networks.
The widespread protests against the Senegalese President Macky Sall's decision to delay the presidential election instigated this decision.
The Communication Minister, Moussa Bocar Thiam confirmed the decision while noting that it aims to curb the dissemination of hateful and subversive messages relayed on social networks in a context of threats of disturbances to public order.
Expressing concern over the delay, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) urged a swift resolution. Lawmakers are set to discuss a bill today proposing a rescheduled presidential election for August 25, allowing President Sall to remain in office until the new successor is sworn in officially.
Opposition figures reportedly rallied the protesters, including former Prime Minister and opposition candidate Aminata Touré, who announced her release on social media after being arrested during the protest on Sunday.
Touré, sharing in an online post, called for mobilization to defend democracy and opposed the postponement of the presidential election. Another opposition candidate, Daouda Ndiaye, claimed to have been attacked by police and shared on social media that he was hospitalized, emphasizing the importance of holding the election on its initially scheduled date of February 25.
Recall that President Sall announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election on Saturday, just hours before the official start of campaigning, marking the first time a Senegalese presidential election has been delayed, according to AFP. The postponement follows a dispute between the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court over the rejection of candidates.
