The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, following her visit to Senegal, warned that the government must take immediate action to improve prison conditions. She described prison overcrowding as “inhumane” and a “powder keg” that could explode, leading to riots, violence, or disease outbreaks.
Edwards observed extreme overcrowding, with detainees sleeping in shifts and inadequate facilities. While acknowledging government efforts to build new prisons, she urged additional measures, including reducing sentences by 20% for those serving less than three years and releasing detainees who have been held for over a year without trial, except in serious cases.
The UN rapporteur also called for the release of women imprisoned on charges related to medical abortion, emphasizing that Senegal’s stance contradicts the “Maputo Protocol.”
Regarding law enforcement, Edwards urged Senegal to repeal the amnesty law, which shields security forces from prosecution for excessive use of force during protests. She stressed the need for truth, justice, and compensation for victims.
