"Senegal's Opposition Leader Sonko's Presidential Hopes Dashed by Court's Defamation Ruling"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by BBC.com
Senegal's Supreme Court has upheld the libel conviction of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, which could prevent him from running in the upcoming presidential election. Despite a previous court order for his reinstatement on the electoral roll, the conviction disqualifies him according to electoral regulations. Sonko's lawyer has vowed to continue the fight, while the final list of presidential candidates will be published on January 20. Sonko's legal troubles have previously led to deadly unrest in Senegal, but there has been no immediate public protest following the latest ruling.