The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made reports targeting the lawyer Juan Branco, accused of having disclosed information concerning French agents in Senegal, the Quai d’Orsay told Le Figaro on Thursday, confirming information from Europe 1 . After the “serious and unfounded accusations made by Mr. Branco, and his recent publications disclosing information of a professional nature targeting French agents stationed in Senegal”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would thus take “all measures necessary to ensure [the] protection and respect for the [integrity] of the officials concerned.
Juan Branco, lawyer for Senegalese political opponent Ousmane Sonko, announced on June 22 that he had filed a complaint in France and a request for an investigation submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against Senegalese President Macky Sall for “crimes against humanity”. The June 1 sentencing of opponent Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison in a sex scandal sparked the worst unrest Senegal has seen in years. The clashes caused at least 16 deaths according to the authorities, 23 according to the NGO Amnesty International and 30 according to the opposition.
The proceedings initiated by his lawyer Juan Branco for “crimes against humanity”, also target Senegalese Interior Minister Antoine Diome, General Moussa Fall, commander of the Senegalese gendarmerie, “as well as 112 other individuals”, i.e. two French officials whom he mentioned specifically. In a document published on the Internet and addressed to the International Criminal Court, the lawyer also quotes seven French people, including the two civil servants, and reveals for one of them the registration number, email addresses and telephone number.
“Wherever the integrity of agents is threatened or attacked on the occasion or because of their function, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs grants them functional protection”, also indicates the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We will not give in to any intimidation,” reacted Juan Branco on Twitter. “The facts we revealed showed the involvement of French agents in the organization and execution of the repression implemented by the regime of Macky Sall against democratic demonstrators, which resulted in 60 deaths, as well as thousands of detainees and wounded,” he said again, not mentioning the names of the agents.
