Dakar-based journalist Khalil Kamara, who works with the newspaper Senego, was arrested on September 5, 2023, and arraigned before a court the following day. He was later released on the same day of his court appearance.
Kamara faced multiple charges, including disseminating false news, defamation, insulting an official body, and offending the head of state. His arrest was linked to the publication of a reader’s opinion piece that criticized the Senegalese president and certain judges regarding the incarceration of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
The Association des Éditeurs et Professionnels de la presse en ligne (Association of Publishers and Online Press Professionals – APPEL) issued a press release calling for the release of Khalil Kamara. It pointed out that Kamara was not the author of the contentious article but merely the presenter of an an opinion that was duly signed by its author.
His detention has raised concerns about press freedom in Senegal, where journalists and media houses have increasingly come under pressure from authorities over the past two years. Kamara is among a growing list of reporters who have faced harassment, legal action, or detention for their reporting or editorial choices.
His release has been welcomed by press freedom advocates, but concerns remain over the broader climate for journalists operating in Senegal.
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