On Friday, Senegal's Constitutional Council issued its decision regarding the candidacy of imprisoned opposition figure Ousmane Sonko in the presidential elections.
Siri Clidor Lee, Sonko's lawyer, said that the council refused to participate in the elections scheduled for next February 25 on the grounds that his file was incomplete.
The lawyer told reporters, “When we entered, (Council) President Badiou Camara immediately informed us that (Sonko’s) file was incomplete,” without specifying the missing part.
The authorities had refused to hand over to the oppositionist all the necessary documents for his candidacy, under the pretext that he had been removed from the electoral lists after his conviction last June. However, his team submitted its candidacy file to the Constitutional Council.
Yesterday evening, Thursday, the Supreme Court confirmed a six-month suspended prison sentence against the opposition figure on charges of defamation, a ruling that is seen as making him ineligible to run in the presidential elections.
In another proceeding, Sonko was convicted on June 1 of exploiting a minor and sentenced to two years in prison. He refused to appear in court and was sentenced in absentia.
The opposition figure, who has been imprisoned since the end of July, was also convicted on other charges, including calling for disobedience.
Sonko's supporters regained hope in his candidacy after a judge ordered him to be re-registered on the electoral rolls in mid-December.
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