For kicking a pregnant colleague in the stomach during budget debate, two opposition MPs in Senegal have been handed six months jail sentences.
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| Senegal MPs fight during budget debate. One of the MPs kick a pregnant colleague in the stomach. Photo: scmp |
After Amy Ndiaye criticized an opposition religious figure, the male lawmakers attacked her.
Also, Mamadou Niang and Massata Samb were ordered to pay five million CFA Francs to Ms Ndiaye in compensation.
There was wide condemnation of the incident which also ignited debate about women’s rights.
Mr Samb is seen in a video shared online walking towards Ms Ndiaye and slapping her during a routine budget debate on 1 December.
Then, Ms Ndiaye retaliate by throwing a chair, however, at the same time gets kicked in her belly by another male colleague.
A fight breaks out as other MPs get involved to try to calm the situation.
There were fears Ms Ndiaye would lose the baby after she fainted in parliament. She is a member of the Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition.
Baboucar Cissé, her lawyer, told AFP news agency, she “remains in an extremely difficult situation,” despite leaving hospital.
Lawyers for Mr Niang and Mr Samb argued in court that their clients had not attacked Ms Ndiaye physically, despite video evidence.
“They are going to remain in prison pending an appeal,” one of their lawyers disclosed to AFP news agency.
