Senegal: International arrest warrant filed against Sonko's lawyer - Prosecutors

Senegalese prosecutors on Friday (Jul. 14) said they had filed an international arrest warrant against the French lawyer of Senegal's main opposition leader.

The prosecutors added that lawyer Juan Branco was wanted for alleged "crimes and offences" connected to the unrest which shook Senegal last June.

Ousmane Sonko, on Friday, expressed his support to his legal counsel. Indeed, Branco could face a lawsuit on a separate matter in France.

"Allow me to digress for a moment, I would like to congratulate our lawyer, Mr Juan Branco," the 49-year-old politician said as he addressed his supporters via a video.

"I'd also like to offer him our full support in the ordeal he is going through. We learnt on Thursday the day that the French Foreign Office had decided to take legal action against him before the French courts. His contribution has been invaluable since he took part in this case. And we give him our unwavering support today."

French Foreign ministry announced Thursday (Jul.13) it reported Juan Branco to the judicial authorities after he unveiled the identity of two employees at the French embassy to Senegal.

Branco publicly mentioned these civil servants when he presented his French criminal complaint against the Senegalese president for alleged "crimes against humanity". 

He referred among other things to deadly protests which took place in Senegal 2021 and last June.