A day before the appeals process in a defamation case begins, Senegalese opposition member Ousmane Sonko has announced he will no longer reply to court summonses unless he is guaranteed his safety.
Sonko, who finished third in the 2019 presidential election and is to run again in 2024, faces two court challenges that could jeopardize his candidacy.
In March, he received a suspended sentence and a substantial fine for defaming the tourist minister, and his appeal of that decision is set to be heard on Monday.
He is also scheduled to stand trial later this month for allegations of "rape and death threats" stemming from a complaint submitted by an employee at a beauty salon where he had a massage.
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During his forced relocation to the Dakar court during the first defamation proceedings, Sonko appeared to relate to his accusations of a March assassination attempt by police.
"It is not about justice, it is judicial attack," Sonko said Sunday, "and that is why I made the choice, still within the context of my peaceful protest campaign, to no longer cooperate with this justice" without security assurances.
Sonko has rejected the rape charge and is appealing his defamation conviction, claiming he is the victim of a scheme by President Macky Sall to derail his 2024 campaign.
The administration has refuted the charge, accusing Sonko of inciting protests to dodge justice.
Sonko's court appearances are frequently sources of tension and near-paralysis in Dakar, as he regularly travels to court with a parade of sympathizers.
Sonko's rape charge in 2021 sparked riots that left at least twelve individuals dead.
