Senegal arrests activist for protesting against Israeli participation at Youth Olympic Games

Senegalese authorities have arrested a pro-Palestinian activist for allegedly criticising the hosting of Israeli athletes at the Youth Olympic Games currently underway in the West African nation. Amadou Sarang Diallo, a 27-year-old member of a civil society group, was apprehended on Friday after posting a TikTok video expressing his disapproval of Israel's participation in the games, according to civil society organizations and Amnesty International Senegal.

The Youth Olympic Games, a major sporting event taking place in Senegal for the first time, began on October 31 and are expected to conclude on November 13, featuring nearly 2,700 athletes from across the globe. Eleven Israeli athletes are set to compete in eight different sports, including boxing, athletics, judo, artistic gymnastics, fencing, and archery.

The activist's arrest has sparked outrage among Senegal's civil society groups, who are calling for his immediate release. Amidou Sidibe, coordinator of the Club Intermediaire, revealed that Diallo was taken into custody approximately 88 kilometers outside the capital, Dakar, and that the police subsequently searched his residence but found no evidence of wrongdoing.

According to Sidibe, Diallo's TikTok post, which stated that "Israeli citizens will never get peace in Senegal," was misinterpreted as a call for violence. However, Sidibe clarified that in the Wolof language spoken in Senegal, Diallo's statement did not carry any violent connotations.