Eighteen Senegalese football supporters detained in Morocco following disturbances at last month’s Africa Cup of Nations final have begun a hunger strike, insisting they have been held for weeks without clear charges or a fair hearing.

The fans were arrested on January 18 after Senegal’s dramatic AFCON final victory over hosts Morocco in Rabat, a match that descended into chaos in its closing moments.

According to their lawyer, Patrick Kabou, the detainees say they remain in the dark about the specific accusations against them and have decided to stop eating in protest.

“They told me they are still waiting to know what exactly they are being charged with,” Kabou told AFP on Friday. “They feel abandoned and unheard.”

The lawyer said the group has also complained of serious language barriers during police questioning, noting that interrogations were conducted in French and Arabic, languages they do not understand.

The detainees, he said, speak only Wolof, their native Senegalese language, raising concerns about whether they fully understood the proceedings against them.

Tensions flared during the final minutes of the AFCON decider when some Senegalese supporters attempted to force their way onto the pitch, prompting a near 20-minute stoppage after Senegal’s players protested a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

Television footage also showed objects, including a chair, being thrown onto the field.

In custody, the detained fans say they have been denied what they describe as their “right to justice”. Kabou said his clients have vowed to continue the hunger strike until they are formally charged and allowed to defend themselves in court.

“They have made it clear that the strike will continue until Moroccan justice gives them the opportunity to be heard,” he said.

Judicial delays have further deepened their frustration. A first court hearing scheduled for late January was adjourned, while a second hearing on Thursday was also postponed due to an ongoing nationwide lawyers’ strike in Morocco.

The case is now expected to resume next week.

As the standoff drags on, the hunger strike adds a troubling human dimension to what began as a football celebration gone wrong, turning the spotlight from the AFCON trophy to the fate of 18 fans who say they are paying a heavy price for a night of passion in the stands. (The Nation)