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Prominent Senegalese journalist and government commentator Pape Ale Niang, who had been on hunger strike in protest of the charges against him, was transferred to a hospital, his lawyer told AFP on Sunday.
Nyan was taken to a hospital in Dakar on Saturday night after his health deteriorated as a result of the recent hunger strike, said Moussa Sarr, one of his lawyers.
In a case that sparked international concern, Nyan was arrested on November 6 and charged with “dividing information that may harm national defense.”
He went on a hunger strike on December 2 and was admitted to a clinic after his health deteriorated. He was released on parole but was arrested again on December 20 when he launched another hunger protest.
Head of the Dakar Matin online news site, Niang has a wide following in Senegal for his regular columns on current affairs.
The lawsuit against him arose after he wrote about rape charges facing the country’s main opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko.
According to the union, he is accused of delivering a classified message about Sonko’s security measures during a meeting with investigators on November 3.
His detention sparked a wave of criticism from the media, civil society groups and Senegalese opposition, many of whom called for his release.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Senegal has a reputation for openness and press freedom in troubled West Africa, but its position is declining.
In its 2022 Press Freedom Index, Senegal ranked 73rd out of 180 countries, down 24 places compared to its 2021 rating.
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