The peer tribunal of the Council for the observation of rules of ethics and professional conduct in the media has made public its decision following the complaint filed by the former coordinator of the Higher Institute of Professional Education (ISEP) of Mbacké, Amadou Oury Ba against the daily newspaper Les Echos, the websites Jotaay.net, Senenews.com and Emedia.sn.

According to the plaintiff, the media outlets published articles that "damaged his honor, dignity and reputation, on the grounds that he was not contacted before their publication so that he could give his side of the story."

According to him, such an approach "constitutes a violation of the fundamental principle of the right of reply and the obligation to cross-check sources." In his complaint, he pointed to "a serious breach of journalistic ethics and professional standards."

After reviewing the case on January 30th, the CORED's peer review tribunal ruled that the daily newspaper Les Echos and the websites Jotaay.net, Emedia.sn, and Senenews had violated the Press Code. They were subsequently issued a warning.

The Facts:

In its edition No. 2623, the daily newspaper Les Echos published an article with the subtitle and title: "Management based on threats and intimidation at the ISEP of Mbacké - The teaching and training staff observe a series of dead days and demand the departure of the coordinator."

The Jootay.net website, for its part, published three articles sequentially, titled respectively:

• “Intimidation and threats have become the standard management practice at ISEP Mbacké,”

• “Teaching staff clash with the Coordinator”,

• “The PEF wins its case, the coordinator of the ISEP of Mbacké is dismissed.”

Emedia.sn, for its part, published on December 1, 2025, on its website, an article entitled "Crisis at the ISEP of Mbacké: teaching staff denounce threats, absences and contested management".

Senenews, for its part, published on December 24, 2025, on its website, an article entitled "Dismissal: Amady Oury Bâ finally thanked, Minister Daouda Ngom without pity".

In letters dated January 5, CORED contacted: - Mr. Cheikh Oumar Ndao, director of publication of the daily newspaper Les Echos and administrator of the website Jotaay.net, - Mr. Mamadou Ndiaye, administrator of the website emedia.sn , and - Mr. Massamba Kane, administrator of the website Senenews, to inform them of the complaint made against their publications by Mr. Amadou Oury Bâ.

Opinion of the Court of Peers

In their responses, Messrs. Ndao, Ndiaye and Kane denied having damaged Mr. Ndao's dignity, honor and reputation, by echoing two statements from the teaching and training staff (PEF) of ISEP.

According to Mr. Ndao, the daily newspaper Les Echos and the website Jotaay.net simply reported on the situation by republishing press releases, refraining from altering or adding to them. He concluded by writing that Mr. Bâ was entitled to a right of reply, given that the newspaper and the website were open to him.

According to Mr. Ndiaye, Emedia.sn, which received information from reliable sources about the situation at P'ISEP, did not act hastily. However, when the PEF's joint statement was released, the website considered it "a well-founded and credible source to use," he explained, before maintaining that "once the article was published, it was up to Mr. Ba to demand a right of reply, which could not be exercised before the article in question." Mr. Kane of Senenews, for his part, indicated that the article published by his website was based on factors related, firstly, to the context and public interest in information concerning an administrative decision issued by the Minister of Higher Education and, secondly, to the veracity of the reported facts, which were based "neither on rumors nor on unfounded claims."

Furthermore, the term "dismissal" used in the article's title "is part of the current journalistic register and does not constitute a criminal qualification or an assertion that attacks personal dignity," Mr. Kane points out, before adding that "the editorial choice of a title cannot, in itself, characterize an attack on honor as long as the content remains factual and not defamatory."

Like his colleagues, he said he was willing "to publish any reaction or right of reply that Mr. Amadou Oury Ba wished to formulate, in compliance with legal forms and deadlines."

In light of the foregoing, the Tribunal of Peers considers that the daily newspaper Les Echos and the websites Jotaay.net, Emedia.sn and Senenews have violated the Press Code in its articles:

Article 11: "Journalists and media technicians must collect and process information honestly and impartially, respecting the public's right to information." "Journalists and media technicians have a duty to seek the truth, because of the public's right to know it, whatever the consequences may be for themselves."

18: "Journalists and media technicians who process information respect the general principles of fairness expressed through a loyal attitude towards their sources, the people they are talking about, and the public."

The Tribunal of Peers recognizes Mr. Amadou Oury Bâ's right of reply, should he wish to do so, in accordance with Article 85 of the Press Code which stipulates: "Any natural or legal person has a right of reply in the event that imputations or allegations likely to harm his honor or his reputation have been disseminated in a written press organ."

The Tribunal of Peers decides: - to issue a warning to the director of publication of the daily newspaper Les Echos and administrator of the website Jotaay.net; - to issue a warning to the administrator of the news website Emedia.sn; - to issue a warning to the news website Senenews.