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On July 15, 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Senegalese authorities to immediately release news commentator Badara Gadiaga, who was arrested on July 9 following remarks made during a televised debate on Télé Futurs Médias (TFM). The organization also demanded the release of fellow commentators Abdou Nguer and Bachir Fofana, and urged the government to halt reprisals against media outlets critical of the administration.
Gadiaga’s arrest stems from his reference to Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s past conviction for sexual abuse, prompting charges of spreading false news, immoral speech, insulting a public official, and soliciting donations for propaganda. On July 11, the Dakar public prosecutor transferred the case to a chief investigating judge, initiating a formal judicial inquiry.
CPJ’s Francophone Africa representative, Moussa Ngom, condemned the prosecution as part of a “dangerous conflation between the press and the political opposition,” warning that such actions undermine constitutional protections for free expression.
The case highlights a broader erosion of press freedom in Senegal, once considered a beacon of media pluralism in West Africa. CPJ has documented a surge in journalist arrests under laws criminalizing defamation and misinformation, raising concerns about the weaponization of legal frameworks to suppress dissent.
International observers and human rights advocates continue to monitor the situation, urging Senegal to uphold its commitments to democratic principles and the rule of law.
