Marchs adopted on Friday 25 June the new amendments to the Senegalese Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure. According to the Minister of Justice, Malick Sall, the major changes actually concern the fight against money laundering, the financing of terrorism and offences related to maritime navigation.

For parliamentarians, the Keeper of the Seals made a presentation on the content and major changes of the new Law on the Financing of Terrorism and Related Activities. "For an effective fight against terrorism in all its forms, certain offences committed in organized gangs and any other form of e In parallel, the range of offences relating to the financing of terrorism should be broadened, the offence of criminal association should be given a more encompassing role, a general regime should be laid down for the criminal liability of legal persons and the system of confiscations should be rethought, by recasting the law relating thereto," says the explanatory memorandum.

With regard to the repression of acts of terrorist financing, the explanatory memorandum indicates that it had not been covered by Law No. 2018-03 of 23 February 2018 on the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. To correct these imperfections, article 279 (6) has been substantially amended. In its presented form and finally adopted by the deputies this Friday, June 25, the law was slightly modified in its article 279-1 in which forced labor for life was replaced by life imprisonment. On the other hand, new provisions have been inserted in Article 279-6 to take into account the facts that had not been covered by Law No. 2018-03 of 23 February 2018. To this end, paragraph 5 of 279-6 punishes with life imprisonment "the fact that any person deliberately provides or collects, by any means whatsoever, directly or indirectly, funds which he intends to use or which he knows will be used to finance travel. persons who travel to a State other than their State of residence or of which they are nationals, in the design of committing, organizing or preparing terrorist acts, or in order to participate in them or to provide or receive training in terrorism".

In paragraph 7 of the same article, the same penalty is provided for any person who directly or indirectly places funds, financial assets, economic resources or financial or other related services at the disposal of terrorist organizations or terrorists, for whatever reason, including, but not limited to, recruitment, training or travel, even if there is no link to a specific terrorist act. Article 279-8, paragraph 2, punishes with imprisonment for five to ten years and a fine of 500,000 francs to 2,000,000 francs "those who cannot justify resources corresponding to their lifestyle, while being in habitual relations with one or more persons engaged in a terrorist act. »