{"id":13422,"date":"2026-02-25T10:56:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T10:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=13422"},"modified":"2026-02-25T10:56:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T10:56:53","slug":"senegal-prime-minister-decries-moroccos-jailing-of-fans-after-afcon-final-africa-cup-of-nations-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=13422","title":{"rendered":"Senegal prime minister decries Morocco\u2019s jailing of fans after AFCON final | Africa Cup of Nations News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Morocco sentenced 18 Senegalese football fans last Thursday following disturbances at the Africa Cup of Nations final.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><button class=\"article-listen-container\" aria-labelledby=\"listen-text listen-duration\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-listen-container__text\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-text\">Listen to this article<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u00a0|\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"article-listen-container__duration\">2 mins<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><svg class=\"icon icon--info icon--main-grey-dark icon--16 listen-to-article-tooltip__icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\"><title>info<\/title><path class=\"icon-main-color\" d=\"M12 0a12 12 0 1 0 0 24 12 12 0 0 0 0-24Zm-.226 3.225a2.039 2.039 0 0 1 2.155 1.924v.193a1.998 1.998 0 0 1-2.155 2.149 2.029 2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"byline byline--single-avatar\">\n<div class=\"avatars-container\">\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/PXL_20210627_155635971-1-1696493612.jpg?resize=96%2C96&amp;quality=80 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 96px) 96px, 96px\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 25 Feb 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">25 Feb 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>Senegal\u2019s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has followed his country\u2019s football association in denouncing Morocco\u2019s jailing of 18 Senegalese fans following January\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat.<\/p>\n<p>The Teranga Lions supporters were arrested during the final in the Moroccan capital, which was controversially suspended as the Senegal players left the pitch in protest against the late award of a penalty to the host nation.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>Fans, in response, attempted to enter the field of play during the match on January 19, leading to the arrest of 18 people who were later charged with hooliganism and violence against security officials.<\/p>\n<p>Prison sentences were handed out last Thursday to them, ranging from three months to one year, along with fines of up to 5,000 dirhams ($545).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt seems this matter goes beyond the realm of sport and that is regrettable,\u201d Sonko told the Senegalese parliament on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor two countries that call each other friends, like Morocco and Senegal, things should not have gone this far.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 18 fans have denied any wrongdoing but have not appealed the sentence. Senegal, however, will seek a royal pardon from Morocco\u2019s King Mohammed VI.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf they do not, we have agreements that bind us and allow us to request that the supporters serve their sentences in their own country,\u201d Sonko added.<\/p>\n<p>The Senegal Football Association had immediately spoken out at the time of the sentences, describing them as \u201cincomprehensibly harsh\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClashes occur in numerous stadiums around the world, including every weekend in Morocco, without resulting in such sanctions,\u201d Bacary Cisse, the president of the FSF\u2019s communications committee, said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe treatment of these supporters therefore appears disproportionate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Defence lawyer for the 18, Patrick Kabou, had said on February 6 that they were still \u201cwaiting to learn the charges\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He added that some had chosen to go on hunger strike against their detention and treatment.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the sentencing, Kabou echoed the \u201cincomprehensible\u201d sentiment, saying his clients were \u201cvictims\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Senegal were the eventual winners of the final after the match resumed following the players\u2019 protest, securing a 1-0 win in extra time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Morocco sentenced 18 Senegalese football fans last Thursday following disturbances at the Africa Cup of Nations final. Listen to this article\u00a0|\u00a02 mins info Published On 25 Feb 202625 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Senegal\u2019s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has followed his country\u2019s football association in denouncing Morocco\u2019s jailing of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}