In my daara in Diourbel, I was imprisoned in a “cell” for two years because I didn’t want to learn. I did everything in that room – ate, went to the bathroom. There were many other talibés in the room with me, who had also refused to learn or tried to run away. All our legs were attached with chains, even the young ones, who were maybe 11 years old. The ones who tried to run away were punished, beaten. Finally, on December 28 [2016], I was released, because I had served my sentence. I stayed at the daara until March [2017], and then I took advantage of the hours of begging to run away.
As told to researchers for Human Rights Watch
