Foreign
AHEAD of her visit to Senegal and the West and Central Africa region, during which she will meet with representatives of civil society and the authorities – including President Macky Sall, President of Senegal and the African Union – Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International stated:
“As part of a global trend, the rights of individuals to express themselves freely and assemble peacefully are under threat in the region. Rather than seeking to stifle criticism, the authorities must keep their commitment to protect human rights and respond to the concerns of those who are mobilizing to denounce violations of these rights. The excessive use of force against protesters and arbitrary detentions must be banned.”
During her visit to the region, Agnès Callamard will also discuss the protection of civilians in conflict situations with the authorities.
In the conflicts that are tearing the region apart, the protection of civilians must be a priority. Amnesty International is calling on the authorities to take all measures to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and to combat impunity for crimes under international law in order to prevent further violations and to ensure the right of victims or their families to justice.
Agnès Callamard will mark the end of her visit to the region with a press conference on 28 October at the Djoloff Hotel in Dakar at 3:00 pm (GMT).
A.I
Tags: African Union Agnès Callamard President Macky Sall
