Senegal holds man who said Israeli athletes would never find peace in his country

A Senegalese man faces detention after posting a social media video that criticized the presence of Israeli athletes at the ongoing Youth Olympic Games. Amadou Sarang Diallo, 27, was taken into custody on Friday. His arrest occurred as the multi-sport event continued in the West African nation, drawing attention from local civil society groups who are demanding his release.

The Youth Olympic Games started on 31 October and will run until 13 November. The competition involves nearly 2,700 athletes from various countries. This marks the first time an Olympic event of any kind has been hosted on the African continent. Eleven Israeli athletes are competing in eight disciplines, including boxing, athletics, judo, artistic gymnastics, fencing, and archery.

Amidou Sidibe, coordinator for the civil society group Club Intermediaire, said Diallo was arrested approximately 88 kilometers from the capital, Dakar. Sidibe noted that Diallo stated in his TikTok video that Israeli citizens would 'never get peace in Senegal.' Sidibe explained that police interpreted this phrase as a call for violence. He added that the phrase does not carry a dangerous meaning in the Wolof language and that a police search of Diallo's home yielded no dangerous items.

Reports indicate that Israeli athletes faced boos during the opening parade of the games. In a statement released on 2 November, the National Alliance for the Palestinian Cause expressed deep concern over the detention. The group stated that freedom of expression is a fundamental right in democratic societies. They argued that peaceful expression of political views should not justify depriving a person of liberty.

The arrest has drawn scrutiny from local organizations monitoring civil rights during the international sporting event. Diallo remains in custody as the games progress toward their conclusion in November.