Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko's libel conviction upheld by Senegal court

Senegal's Supreme Court has rejected opposition leader Ousmane Sonko's appeal against a libel conviction, which could potentially prevent him from participating in next month's presidential election. Sonko has been considered a strong contender in the race to succeed President Macky Sall, who is stepping down after serving two terms. Another court has also ruled against his bid to stand for office, according to his lawyer. Sonko has faced multiple court cases since 2021, all of which he denies. Last month, a court ordered his reinstatement on the electoral roll, offering hope for his participation in the election. However, the Supreme Court's decision disqualifies him from the race, as per electoral regulations. Sonko's legal team has declared that they will continue to fight this setback. His previous arrests have led to bouts of unrest in Senegal, but there have been no reports of public protest following Friday's ruling. The Constitutional Council is scheduled to release the final list of cleared presidential candidates on January 20th.