Senegal politician held after criticising president - lawyer

 Birame Souleye Diop was arrested following remarks he made suggesting the president might row back on his commitment not to stand for a third term in next year's election.

President Sall ruled out running for re-election earlier this month, following widespread protests.

Mr Diop is an MP with the Pastef party, whose leader, Ousmane Sonko, was handed a two-year prison sentence in June, making him ineligible to stand in the presidential election due in February next year.

Senegal's President Macky Sall appears to have saved his country from plunging into a deeper crisis by declaring that he will step down at the end of his two terms.

Political analyst Alioune Tine compared his decision to "deactivating a bomb", pointing out that popular opposition politician Ousmane Sonko had threatened a new wave of mass protests if Mr Sall ran for a controversial third term.

The 61-year-old president's announcement, in a much-awaited television address on Monday night, caught many people by surprise.

Momentum had been building within his ruling party for him to seek re-election, with an overwhelming majority of its public representatives - including lawmakers and mayors - asking him to lead them into next year's poll.

Many of his supporters who were around the presidential palace in the capital, Dakar, were in tears when he announced his decision.

"I have a clear awareness and memory of what I have said, written and repeated, here and elsewhere, namely that the 2019 term was my second and final term. I have a code of honour and a sense of historical responsibility that compels me to stand by my dignity and my word," Mr Sall said.

Source: BBC