Photo : Siphiwe Sibeko, Reuters
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Siphiwe Sibeko, Reuters
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
Ethiopia: Prosecutors to drop charges against the TPLF leaders
On 30 March, prosecutors in Ethiopia said that they are dropping criminal charges against senior civil and military leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The same day, the Ministry of Justice stated stated that conflict-related cases would be seen “in the context of transitional justice.'' This is the latest development after the federal government signed a peace agreement in Tigary in November 2022, ending the two-year conflict. (“Ethiopia prosecutors drop charges against TPLF leaders,” BBC, 30 March 2023)
Senegal: Opposition leader found guilty of libel
On 30 March, leading Senegal’s opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, was found guilty of Libel charges and was sentenced to jail for two months. He was accused of Libel after charging the country's Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang of embezzlement. Sonko’s supporters fear that the sentence would prevent him from running for the presidential elections next year. Protests were marked across the capital, Dakar, ahead of the trial. (“Senegal opposition leader found guilty of libel,” BBC, 30 March 2023)