Protests Erupt In Dakar Over Imprisoned Senegalese AFCON Fans In Morocco

Protests Erupt In Dakar Over Imprisoned Senegalese AFCON Fans In Morocco

By Niyi Busari 

Demonstrators took to the streets of Dakar on Saturday to demand the release of 18 Senegalese football supporters imprisoned in Morocco following disturbances at the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Chanting “Free the hostages,” protesters marched through the Senegalese capital, voicing anger over the sentences handed down by a court in Rabat on February 19. The supporters were convicted of hooliganism after clashing with security personnel during the closing stages of the tournament’s final.

The incident occurred after Morocco was awarded a late penalty, prompting a group of Senegalese fans to confront security officials in an attempt to access the pitch. Nine of those involved received one-year prison sentences and were fined €460 (approximately $544), while the remaining defendants were given jail terms ranging from three months to one year.

Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, criticised the severity of the ruling, telling parliament that Morocco’s handling of the case “does not honor” the two nations’ bilateral relations. He added that the Senegalese government was doing “everything it had to do” to secure the release of its citizens.

The unrest followed a dramatic conclusion to the tournament, which Senegal won 1–0 after extra time. Morocco’s Brahim Díaz missed a controversial penalty during the match.

The case has stirred diplomatic sensitivities between Dakar and Rabat, as calls grow within Senegal for swift government action to resolve the matter.