A Senegalese court has sentenced three TikTok influencers to prison over online posts allegedly insulting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, raising fresh concerns over freedom of expression and digital rights in the West African nation.
The three content creators are affiliated with Feenal Digital, an online platform known for producing content favourable to former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, leader of the PASTEF party. The ruling comes amid mounting political friction following a public rift between President Faye and Sonko, former close allies whose political split recently deepened after Faye launched his own political party.
Who are the sentenced influencers?
- Mandoumbe Diop (known online as Lamignou Darou): Received the most severe penalty of three months in prison without suspension. Diop is the most prominent of the group, boasting over 500,000 TikTok followers.
- Magueye Diaw (known online as Oustaz Thiep): Sentenced to two months in prison without suspension and ordered to pay a fine of 500,000 CFA francs (approximately $800).
- Moustapha Ndiaye (known online as Ndiaye Touba): Sentenced to two months in prison without suspension and fined 500,000 CFA francs ($800).
Defence counsel Abdy Nar Ndiaye criticized the ruling, arguing that the creators’ videos were intended purely as satire and comedy, which did not warrant criminal prosecution.
Rising Political Friction
The convictions underscore the volatile political landscape in Senegal as the fallout between President Faye and Sonko continues to fracture the ruling coalition. Both figures were instrumental in the rise of the PASTEF movement, but their recent split has heightened scrutiny over online political commentary and the state of civil liberties under the current administration
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