The ruling against Ousmane Sonko is the latest twist in a long-running legal saga that he has denounced as politically motivated - a standoff with the authorities that has fuelled unrest in what is widely viewed as one of West Africa's most stable democracies.
But Monday's appeal hearing extended the suspended sentence to six months, said lawyer Boubacar Cissé, who represents the minister. "If this sentence is final, there is a good chance that his candidacy will be inadmissible," Diaw said. "This could seriously sully the political dialogue." The earlier lighter sentence had been interpreted as an effort by authorities to defuse tensions with Sonko's supporters, who have repeatedly taken to the streets to protest. Their anger has added to rising discontent in some quarters with President Macky Sall's failure to rule out running for a third term in office.