The leader of the Senegalese opposition, Ousmane Sonko, who began another hunger strike, fell into a coma on Monday and his health “is worsening in a worrying way”, his party confirmed yesterday.
“The unpredictable can happen at any time, as it can take the surveillance and hospital care service by surprise”, declared on the social network X (formerly Twitter), El Malick Ndiaye, spokesman for the Senegalese Labor Patriots party, of Ethics and Fraternity (Pastef, in the French acronym).
“I solemnly appeal to the President of the Republic and the Minister of Justice, who have the power to activate mechanisms that do not call into question the separation of powers and that are consistent with individual civic rights, guaranteed and protected by international human rights instruments”, he added. The Pastef spokesperson also called on “religious authorities” and the international community to use their influence and avoid “the irreparable”, which would have “serious consequences for peace, security and stability in the sub-region”.
On 17 October, Sonko announced that he had begun a new hunger strike to protest his detention and that of some of his supporters, after being hospitalized in August following a first hunger strike. According to the Senegalese press, Sonko remained in hospital after suspending, on September 2, his first hunger strike, which began on July 30 and which led to him being hospitalized in an intensive care unit due to the deterioration of his health.