27 Activist Held After TikTok Video Criticizing Israeli Athletes at Senegal Games
The arrest of Amadou Sarang Diallo comes as the Youth Olympic Games draw nearly 2,700 athletes to the country's first major Olympic event.
By Anthony Hoffmann ·
A 27-year-old activist was taken into custody in Senegal on Friday following a social media post about the current Youth Olympic Games.
The games began on 31 October and are scheduled to conclude on 13 November. Nearly 2,700 athletes from around the world are competing in this event, which is the first Olympic gathering of any kind to take place on the African continent. Eleven Israeli athletes are participating in eight sports, including boxing, athletics, judo, artistic gymnastics, fencing, and archery.
Amadou Sarang Diallo was arrested approximately 88 kilometers outside the capital city of Dakar. According to Amidou Sidibe, the coordinator for the civil society group Club Intermediaire, Diallo posted a video on TikTok stating that Israeli citizens would never get peace in Senegal. Sidibe explained that authorities interpreted the phrase as a call for violence, though he noted that in the Wolof language the expression does not carry that meaning. Police searched Diallo's home but found nothing dangerous.
The arrest has drawn criticism from local civil society organizations that are demanding his release. Reports indicate that Israeli athletes faced boos during the opening parade of the games. The National Alliance for the Palestinian Cause released a statement on 2 November expressing deep concern over the situation.
The alliance reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the laws and institutions of the Republic. The group stated that freedom of expression is a fundamental right in any democratic society. They added that the peaceful expression of a political conviction or activist commitment cannot justify deprivation of liberty in itself.
Source: Middle East Eye
