Senegal President Calls for Intervention to Address Media Crisis, Threats to Press Freedom

A crisis is unfolding in Senegal, triggered by a wave of strikes by media professionals and a perceived erosion of their rights. In response, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has called for “appropriate recovery measures” and a renewed dialogue with the national press.

The crisis began when private and public media companies joined the Senegalese Council of Press Distributors and Publishers (CDEPS) in a joint editorial warning about the industry’s precarious state. Complaining about “heavy-handed” government tactics, CDEPS accused authorities of ” freezing bank accounts” for non-payment of tax, seizing production equipment, terminating unfair advertising contracts, and freezing payments to media outlets.

The crisis is worsened by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s claims about “misappropriation of public funds” in the sector, and allegations against some media chiefs for failing to make social security contributions. Sonko is also critical of news outlets for circulating unverified information, calling these actions a threat to information manipulation and control.

In light of these developments, President Faye addressed the situation, demanding that the national press code be enforced and criticizing the government’s handling of the situation. Specific measures were not specified, while the nationwide media blackout, dubbed an act of protest by press organizations, was also not addressed explicitly.

The Senegalese media industry has faced challenges even before the current crisis. Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index saw Senegal slip from 49th to 94th place between 2021-2024, reflecting growing concerns regarding press freedom.

As the situation spirals, it remains to be seen which measures will be taken to address the long-standing issues plaguing the region’s media landscape.