Senegalese newspapers largely ceased publication on Tuesday as a protest against what they see as the erosion of press freedom under the current government. The local Council of Press Distributors and Publishers (CDEPS) described this moment as one of the darkest in the country’s media history, accusing the government of freezing bank accounts and seizing equipment from media companies, allegedly over unpaid taxes. The government justifies its actions as necessary to combat financial mismanagement and embezzlement within the media industry.
The protest follows concerns that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s government, which came to power after defeating the ruling coalition’s candidate in March, maybe curbing press freedom. This worry intensified after Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, a former opposition leader, criticized journalists for spreading what he called “falsehoods” and enjoying “too much impunity.”
During the blackout, most newspapers featured a black cover with the slogan “journée sans presse” (day without press) and an image of three raised fists holding a pencil. While some media outlets participated in the protest, others, like Wal Fadjri, criticized the blackout, arguing that it deprived readers of their right to information.
Senegal’s press freedom ranking has significantly declined in recent years, dropping from 49th to 94th place on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index between 2021 and 2024. The organization has called on the new government to take steps to promote press freedom following a period marked by arrests, attacks on journalists, media closures, and arbitrary internet shutdowns under the previous administration.
