Femi Falana, SAN, a human rights lawyer, has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to consider implementing targeted penalties, including travel bans and asset freezes, on Senegalese President Macky Sall and government officials over the postponement of the Senegalese election.
Falana urged ECOWAS to convene an extraordinary conference to discuss and respond to the country’s deteriorating human rights and rule of law crisis.
The call came after Sall announced that this month’s elections would be postponed due to a dispute over candidate eligibility.
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Falana argued that the postponement of the elections indicates Sall’s purposeful attempt to manipulate the country’s Constitution.
He claims that this is done to maintain control in the face of popular will and ambitions.
“Imposing targeted sanctions on Mr Sall and officials of his government is consistent with the provisions of ECOWAS treaties and protocols including article 45 (2) of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance,” Falana said in a statement.