EXCLUSIVE: Senegal’s grave miscarriage of justice in the case of René Capain Bassène
Journalist René Capain Bassène devoted his career to restoring peace to Senegal’s troubled Casamance region. The government accused him of being a rebel who ordered the murder of 14 men and jailed him for life. Now a rebel leader and a U.S. diplomat involved in peace negotiations have refuted the prosecution’s fundamentally flawed theory. The…
Senegalese journalist René Capain Bassène released after over 8 years in detention
Dakar, May 27, 2026—CPJ welcomes the release of journalist and writer René Capain Bassène, who had been detained since 2018 in Senegal. Bassène was sentenced to life in prison on charges of complicity in murder and attempted murder, crimes that CPJ reporting found he could not have committed. “CPJ is particularly pleased by Senegalese President…
New CPJ podcast reveals torture, coerced testimony in case of jailed Senegalese journalist René Capain Bassène
Dakar, May 4, 2026—A new podcast released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presents extensive new testimony and reporting on the conviction of Senegalese journalist and author René Capain Bassène, raising serious questions about the integrity of a case that has become one of West Africa’s most emblematic press freedom concerns. The six-part series,…
Senegal rebel leader rejects prosecution claims against journalist René Capain Bassène
A key Senegalese rebel leader, César Atoute Badiate, has broken his silence on jailed journalist René Capain Bassène, refuting the prosecution’s claim that Bassène was a militant fighting for independence of the Casamance region who incited him to murder 14 illegal loggers in 2018. “René Capain Bassène is neither an MFDC representative nor a leader…
CPJ, 180 partners call for René Capain Bassène’s release in Senegal
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 180 journalists, civil society organizations, and academic researchers in a joint letter urging Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye to end the prolonged detention of journalist and writer René Capain Bassène, who has been behind bars since January 2018 and convicted of complicity in murder. A CPJ investigation found Bassène could…
Senegal Supreme Court upholds journalist René Capain Bassène’s lifetime prison sentence
Dakar, May 7, 2025— Senegalese authorities should end the persecution of journalist René Capain Bassène, whose lifetime prison sentence was upheld by the Senegal Supreme Court in a May 2 decision, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday. “It is deeply worrying that René Capain Bassène’s life sentence has been upheld despite all the flaws in the investigation that led to his imprisonment and the documented…
CPJ finds flaws, inconsistencies in murder conviction of Senegalese journalist René Capain Bassène
In spite of the Senegalese gendarmerie officer holding a gun held to his head, Ibou Sané held firm. He refused the officer’s order to admit that he knew René Capain Bassène – but in the end it didn’t matter. Testimony he insisted he never gave was used in court to help convict Bassène, a well-known…