Africa
ECOWAS Court will on Wednesday, April 28, delivered judgment in a case brought by a Senegalese political party – Union Sociale Liberale (USL) alleging that the amendment of the country’s electoral law violated its rights.
In the initiating application filed by Abdoulaye Tine and Adama Fall counsels to Union Sociale Liberale (USL), they also alleged that the adoption of the amended law by the National Assembly and subsequent publication in the Official Journal of Senegal on August 24, 2018, constituted a violation.
The counsel averred that the amended law which required all presidential aspirants/candidates to be sponsored by a list/number of voters obstructed its unencumbered participation in the electoral process of the country.
They added that Members of Parliament belonging to the opposition party filed an application challenging the constitutionality of the amended law which the Constitutional Council declared itself incompetent to examine.
They further averred that the action of the Senegalese government contravened the provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance which guaranteed the freedom of opposition party from discrimination and freedom to participate freely in the electoral process, among others.
They also cited some articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations Convention on Civil and Political Rights in support of their argument.
The counsel urged the Court to hold the Senegalese government liable for the violations and non-compliance with international treaties ratified by it.
The matter in suit no ECW/CCJ/APP/59/18, which was filed before the Court on December 11, 2018, will be heard by a panel of three judges comprising Justices Edward Amoako Asante, Gberi-Be Ouattara, and Dupe Atoki.
– April 27, 2021 @ 18:30 GMT
Tags: ECOWAS Court gives judgement against Senegalese govt.
