Franco-Spanish lawyer Juan Branco, arrested over the weekend in Mauritania, was released on Monday and will be sent to France. The lawyer for the political opponent of the Macky Sall government was being sought by the authorities on charges of fomenting civil insurrection, spreading fake news and provoking acts that put public safety at risk. Meanwhile, the imprisoned Sonko was rushed into hospital, though the reasons are unclear.
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This Monday, August 7, the lawyer of the opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was released on bail by the Senegalese Justice. Juan Branco, of French-Spanish origin, was arrested on Saturday night at the border with Mauritania, where he wanted to go disguised as a fisherman, and in the next few hours he will be expelled to France.
Branco, who had an arrest warrant issued by Senegal since July 14, is targeted by Dakar for insurrection against the government of Macky Sall, promoting social movements that put public safety at risk and spreading false news, according to what was announced by the Senegalese State Press Agency (APS).
“Juan Branco has just been released under judicial control, with an expulsion order to France. It is an immense relief. Thank you all very much for mobilizing him ”, wrote the lawyer Robin Binsard on the X social network.
Juan Branco vient d’être liberé sous contrôle judiciaire, with an ordre d’expulsion vers la France. C’est un immense soulagement. Merci à tous pour votre mobilisation. #JuanBranco pic.twitter.com/8SEjd0TwAf
—Robin Binsard (@RobinBinsard) August 7, 2023
The confrontation between Senegal and Branco, one of the most relevant opposition figures due to his proximity to leader Sonko, deepened at the end of June, when Branco sued the State and President Sall before the International Criminal Court, denouncing crimes against humanity and other charges for the repression of anti-government demonstrations.
Sonko, emergency boarding school
The top Senegalese opposition leader, detained since July 28, was admitted to a hospital, reported his Senegalese Patriots for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF) party, although it did not detail the reasons.
The organization noted that prior to his imprisonment, Sonko “was in good health and did not suffer from any known illness.” However, they pointed out that the responsibility corresponds “fully” to President Sall.
The opponent was accused of various charges, including attacking State security, criminal association for relations with a terrorist company, insurrection against authority, among others.
Due to his repeated calls to demonstrate against the current Administration, on July 28 he was placed in preventive detention by order of a judge and three days later his party was dissolved, as announced by the Ministry of the Interior.
However, far from appeasing the civil mobilizations, since Sonko’s arrest there have been clashes between youths and the security forces in the capital and other cities in the country, leading to scenes of violence that included vehicle fires, roadblocks and leaving two dead.
Among Sonko’s claims against the Government is the judicial “instrumentation” in favor of Sall to prevent him from participating in the elections scheduled for next year. In addition, he has denounced corruption and French neocolonialism.
With EFE and Reuters
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