Former Prime Minister of Senegal Aminata Touré Arrested

(Patria) - Gendarmerie in Senegal's capital Dakar arrested yesterday former prime minister and opposition figure Aminata Touré for participating in opposition demonstrations against the postponement of the presidential elections previously scheduled for February 25, the local opposition announced.

- I confirm that Aminata Touré was arrested by gendarmes - said opposition MP Guy Marius Sagna.

Aminata Touré, who was appointed prime minister by Senegal's President Macky Sall, moved to the opposition, and her candidacy for the presidential elections was rejected. She participated yesterday in a protest during which riots broke out.

Gendarmes used tear gas to disperse several hundred people at the protest against the postponement of the presidential elections.

At the call of several presidential candidates, men and women of all ages, waving Senegalese flags or wearing the national football team jersey, gathered on one of the main roads in Dakar.

Gendarmes, in large numbers, fired tear gas at demonstrators, who threw stones at them. These are the first protests following the statement by Senegal's president that the presidential elections scheduled for February 25 are postponed indefinitely.

Sall said on Saturday that he had indefinitely postponed the presidential elections scheduled for February 25, after the formation of a parliamentary commission investigating two judges of the Constitutional Council, whose integrity in the electoral process was challenged.

Senegal's president made this decision a few hours before the start of the election campaign for the presidential elections, in which as many as 20 opponents were supposed to compete, but without two prominent opposition leaders.

Those are Ousmane Sonko, who has been in prison since July for inciting rebellion, and Karim Wade, a minister and son of former President Abdoulaye Wade, who ruled from 2000 to 2012.