« Souvenez-vous, n’oubliez jamais » : Le cri de Me Clédor Ly pour la justice des martyrs
Lawyers for Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, along with representatives of the victims and families of martyrs, addressed a room filled with emotion and solemnity this Sunday, as part of the commemoration of the day dedicated to the victims of the events that occurred in Senegal between 2021 and 2024. The defense called upon officials and solemnly appealed for "justice and truth," denouncing a period marked, in their view, by state violence and institutionalized lies. "On behalf of the defense, I speak for all those who fight for an ideal, the ideal of justice," declared Mr. Ciré Clédor Ly, representing the victims.
The duty to remember against state violence
Reflecting on the events that brought grief to families across the country, the lawyer emphasized the duty to remember. "Senegal experienced a period of violence and state lies that must never be erased from human memory. This period is indelibly etched in the pages of our history. Remember. Never forget," the lawyer urged.
Mr. Ly paid tribute to the courage of those who resisted: "State violence was unleashed upon a fighting people. This people saw its children brave prison, torture and death to answer the call of a man, standing up against corruption, injustice, illicit enrichment and the arrogance of power."
An inalienable right to justice
The core of the intervention focused on the inalienable right of victims and survivors to justice. "Just like the martyrs, those who survived have an imprescriptible and non-negotiable right: the right to bring to justice the perpetrators, accomplices, and those who ordered these crimes."
The lawyer compiled a list of alleged abuses: arbitrary arrests, unjust detentions, physical violence, inhuman and degrading treatment, and extrajudicial killings. He described these as systematic acts, organized and carried out as part of a state policy. He even broadened the scope of responsibility, asserting that any foreign person or entity that provided direct or indirect assistance to these acts should also be held accountable before a special Senegalese court.
To make this quest for justice possible, Mr. Ciré Clédor Ly has formulated several demands on the authorities: to protect and secure the victims and witnesses; to put in place substantial legal, human and technical resources; to mobilize specialized experts and magistrates; to adapt the Code of Criminal Procedure to the prosecution of serious crimes; to guarantee the independence, competence and protection of the judges in charge of the cases.
According to him, full cooperation from the executive branch is an essential condition. "The collaboration of the central government is a prerequisite for establishing the truth and determining responsibility, including at the highest levels of the hierarchy."
"Justice will be done"
Despite the pain and gravity of the events recounted, Mr. Clédor Ly wanted to send a message of hope to the families of the martyrs and the survivors. "You placed your trust in a man. That man is here today. Trust him again. Justice will be served."
Former political prisoners and the wounded were presented as veritable "living flags of the Senegalese resistance," their scars becoming "national decorations," symbols of a fight for dignity and freedom. Beyond a simple tribute, this day transformed into a powerful political, legal, and memorial act, laying the groundwork for a process that many hope will be historic: that of truth and justice for the martyrs of Senegal.
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