SENEGAL COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service 20 October 2010 SENEGAL 20 OCTOBER 2010 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN SENEGAL FROM 30 SEPTEMBER 2010 TO 12 OCTOBER 2010 Useful news sources for further information Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Ethnicity, language and religion ......................................................................... 1.06 Map ........................................................................................................................ 1.10 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 3.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 3.01 The Casamance Movement: 1947 – 2009 ........................................................... 3.07 Peace negotiations............................................................................................. 3.11 Renewed conflict................................................................................................ 3.16 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ........................................................................................... 4.01 Casamance conflict: 2009 to present ................................................................. 4.01 5. CONSTITUTION ......................................................................................................... 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ................................................................................................... 6.01 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY SITUATION ................................................................................................ 8.01 Casamance ........................................................................................................... 8.01 Casamance landmine casualties........................................................................ 8.07 Treatment of MFDC members by the security forces......................................... 8.08 9. SECURITY FORCES .................................................................................................... 9.01 Police..................................................................................................................... 9.01 Armed forces ........................................................................................................ 9.03 Human rights violations by the security forces................................................. 9.04 Arbitrary arrest and detention............................................................................. 9.04 Torture and mistreatment................................................................................... 9.09 Extra-judicial killings........................................................................................... 9.13 Avenues of complaint .......................................................................................... 9.17 Training and development in the police.............................................................. 9.18 Impunity and prosecution of security force personnel ........................................ 9.19 10. MILITARY SERVICE .................................................................................................... 10.01 11. ABUSES BY NON -GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES .......................................................... 11.01 12. JUDICIARY ................................................................................................................ 12.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 12.01 Organisation ......................................................................................................... 12.02 Independence ....................................................................................................... 12.05 Fair trial ................................................................................................................. 12.08 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 29 September 2010. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 12 October 2010. 20 OCTOBER 2010 SENEGAL Hissene Habre Trial ........................................................................................... 12.12 13. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .................................................................. 13.01 14. PRISON CONDITIONS ................................................................................................. 14.01 15. DEATH PENALTY ....................................................................................................... 15.01 16. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ............................................................................................. 16.01 Freedom of political expression ......................................................................... 16.01 Freedom of association and assembly............................................................... 16.05 Opposition groups and political activists .......................................................... 16.08 17. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA ............................................................................... 17.01 Treatment of Journalists...................................................................................... 17.06 18. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS , ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS .................................... 18.01 Legal framework................................................................................................... 18.01 Human rights mechanisms and groups ............................................................. 18.08 Human rights activists......................................................................................... 18.12 19. CORRUPTION ............................................................................................................ 19.01 20. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ............................................................................................. 20.01 21. ETHNIC GROUPS ....................................................................................................... 21.01 Ethnic demography.............................................................................................. 21.01 Ethnic tensions between the Wolof and Southern groups............................... 21.02 22. LESBIAN , GAY , BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS .............................................. 22.01 Legal rights........................................................................................................... 22.01 Treatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Persons..................... 22.04 23. DISABILITY ............................................................................................................... 23.01 24. WOMEN ................................................................................................................... 24.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 24.01 Legal rights........................................................................................................... 24.03 Political rights....................................................................................................... 24.04 Social and economic rights................................................................................. 24.06 Violence against women...................................................................................... 24.08 Rape .................................................................................................................. 24.11 Female genital mutilation................................................................................... 24.12 Prostitution......................................................................................................... 24.14 Assistance available to women........................................................................... 24.15 25. CHILDREN ................................................................................................................ 25.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 25.01 Basic legal information ....................................................................................... 25.04 Legal rights........................................................................................................... 25.05 Violence against children .................................................................................... 25.08 Childcare and protection ..................................................................................... 25.12 Education.............................................................................................................. 25.14 26. TRAFFICKING ............................................................................................................ 26.01 Government efforts