A judge on Tuesday ordered the release of a Senegalese journalist and prominent anti-government critic after more than two months in detention, his lawyers said.
Pape Ale Niang, head of the Dakar Matin online news site, was arrested on November 6 and charged with "divulging information likely to harm national defense."
Widely followed in Senegal for his regular columns on current affairs, Niang was released on December 14 but sent back to prison a week later and had since been on a hunger strike in protest over his detention.
Lawyer Moussa Sarr told Agence France-Presse the temporary release order came with a strict ban on Niang commenting on the case as well as a travel ban.
He was "extremely strained" from a hunger strike launched in protest at his detention, the lawyer said, adding that he is still in the hospital.
The journalist has been at Dakar's main hospital since December 24, where doctors have voiced concern about his condition, according to a local press organization.
Another of his lawyers, Cire Cledor Ly, said the case was "political" and Diang ought to end the hunger strike.
"He held out, it was very hard, but he was fighting for a principle and he has won," the lawyer said.
The case against Niang arose after he wrote about rape charges faced by Senegal's main opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko.
Niang was accused of describing confidential messages about security arrangements for Sonko's questioning by investigators, according to trade unions.
His detention sparked a wave of criticism from the press, civil society groups and Senegal's opposition, with many calling for his release.
The Coordination of Press Associations put out a statement praising the "victory" of the release order and called for cancellation of the "fantasy and political charges which earned him more than 60 days in prison."
Senegal has a strong reputation for openness and press freedom in West Africa, but this status is in decline, according to Reporters Without Borders.
Its 2022 Press Freedom Index ranked Senegal 73rd out of 180 countries — a fall of 24 places compared with 2021.
Latest Stories
-
Failure to properly transfer gun ownership can land you behind bars
13 mins -
Reduce over-reliance on imports to stabilise cedi – TUC boss tells Ghanaians
29 mins -
‘We’re taking it game by game’ – Ibrahim Tanko on Accra Lions’ title ambitions
37 mins -
Nigerians pick sides as Wizkid and Davido clash online
42 mins -
Nigeria Workers’ Day: Civil servants get pay rises up to 35%
48 mins -
“I am the Austrian team boss with all my heart,” Rangnick turns down Bayern
1 hour -
Failed asylum seeker given £3,000 to go to Rwanda
1 hour -
Nigerian gasoline prices soar as shortages worsen cost of living crisis
1 hour -
Paris 2024: We will win medal at Olympics if government invests more – GPC President
2 hours -
Akufo-Addo calls for protection of Ghana’s democratic reputation and identity
2 hours -
Apple working to fix alarming iPhone issue
2 hours -
‘You won’t win GPL title without your own stadium’ – Bashir Hayford tells Kotoko, Hearts
2 hours -
Ryan Garcia denies using performance-enhancing drugs after beating Devin Haney
2 hours -
We must change phenomenon of moneyed elections – Raymond Atuguba
2 hours -
Accra Lions punished us for not taking our chances – Hearts of Oak assistant coach Abdul Bashiru
2 hours