Senegal's Stability Threatened by Political Violence and Consulate Closures.

Senegal has temporarily closed its overseas consulates due to political violence that has caused significant damage to its diplomatic and consular missions. The violence was sparked by the criminal conviction and sentencing of popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was convicted of corrupting the youth but acquitted of rape charges. The riots have resulted in at least 16 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and hundreds of arrests. The Senegalese government has restricted access to social media apps and installed roadblocks to quell the violence. The growing discontentment with unemployment, corruption, and perceived government crackdowns on political opponents has fostered widespread civil unrest in recent years.