A guest on Iradio's Le Jury du Dimanche program, Thierno Bocoum, president of the Agir movement, expressed his desolation over "the fate of freedom of expression" and strongly warned against "victor's justice." The former MP called on the new authorities to demonstrate moral dignity and a sense of republicanism.

Freedom of expression, “first line of defense”

For Thierno Bocoum, freedom of expression constitutes the first line of defense for any democracy. He warned against any authoritarian reflex that, under the guise of public order or moralizing, could restrict critical speech. "Freedom of expression is not a privilege granted by those in power; it is an inalienable right of the citizen," he reiterated.

The politician believes that a democracy is measured by the ability of its institutions to tolerate contradiction. In a clear allusion to recent criticism, he declared: "We cannot fight censorship yesterday and practice it today." He calls on politicians and citizens to defend this right, even when speech is disruptive.

Addressing the issue of governance and justice, Thierno Bocoum stressed the danger of exploiting the judicial system for political ends. "Victor's justice is the beginning of the end of the rule of law," he warned.

Stressing that Senegal is emerging from a period of tension where the justice system has often been perceived as an instrument for settling scores, he called for a break with this logic and for the total independence of the judiciary to be guaranteed. "If the current government wants to mark a real break, this is where it must do so: by allowing the justice system to judge according to the law, not according to the whims of those in power," he added.

According to him, the Senegalese people voted for a change of governance, "not for political revenge." Thierno Bocoum concluded by emphasizing that governing after a change of government "means resisting the temptation to do what one has criticized one's predecessors for," in order to ensure stability and national unity.