The Alliance for the Republic (APR), led by former President Macky Sall, has voiced strong condemnation following the detention of its member, Pape Malick Ndour, in connection with the execution of a court order tied to the PRODAC case. In an official statement, the party labeled his arrest as a “hostage-taking” and directly implicated Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko as the alleged mastermind behind the move.
The APR emphasized that the accusations stem from a 2018 IGF report, despite Pape Malick Ndour’s appointment to PRODAC only occurring in June 2019. The party argued that this discrepancy renders the legal basis for his detention “highly questionable”, describing the charges as “banal” and rooted in “weak, non-contradictory, and factually questionable” evidence. They stressed that the accounting audit report used to justify his arrest lacks credibility and contradicts reality.
APR condemns systematic use of pretrial detention
The APR condemned what it described as the “systematic recourse to freedom-depriving measures” in cases where fair trial guarantees appear compromised. The party highlighted the “alarming” nature of a decision that could have severe consequences for individual liberties based on “flimsy, unverified, or false” elements. They warned that such actions risk “normalizing the criminalization of opposition and the intimidation of political leaders”, posing a serious threat to Senegal’s democratic principles.
The APR reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for Pape Malick Ndour, his family, and legal team, calling on all party members to remain “vigilant and united” against any attempt to undermine democratic freedoms. The party held the government “fully accountable” for Ndour’s physical and moral integrity, demanding his “immediate and unconditional release”.
In closing, the APR vowed to continue standing alongside all those facing injustice, declaring its faith that “justice will ultimately prevail over arbitrariness.”
