Senegal’s President Macky Sall has strongly denounced a violent knife assault on a prominent female journalist and director of a private television station, Maimouna Ndour Faye.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Friday near Faye’s residence, where she was assaulted and stabbed multiple times by an unidentified assailant, as reported by the 7TV television channel, where Faye presents a political program.
Faye was promptly hospitalized, and her condition is reported to be stable, according to the channel’s statement.
The incident has transpired against a backdrop of heightened political tension in Senegal, following the postponement of the presidential election scheduled for February 25.
Although the motive behind the attack remains unclear, officials have refrained from attributing it to political motivations.
The assault has drawn widespread condemnation from notable figures in Senegal, including the Prime Minister and candidates vying in the presidential race.
President Macky Sall issued a statement expressing his firm condemnation of the “cowardly and inexcusable” violence against journalist Maimouna Ndour Faye, emphasizing the critical importance of safeguarding freedom of the press under all circumstances.
Recent years have witnessed a surge in arrests and violence targeting media professionals in Senegal, particularly leading up to the parliamentary elections in 2022. Reporters Without Borders, a watchdog organization, documented an escalation in verbal and physical threats against journalists during this period.
