Pressure is mounting on authorities in Senegal<\/a> to release a journalist and human rights defender on hunger strike in detention, after reports of his deteriorating health.<\/p>\n Pape Al\u00e9 Niang, director of the Dakar Matin news website, has refused food since he was imprisoned on 20 December and has been in hospital since 24 December. A request for his immediate conditional release was turned down on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Calling for his release, Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur for human rights defenders, tweeted<\/a> this week: \u201cI\u2019m receiving very disturbing reports about the deteriorating health of human rights defender and journalist Pape Al\u00e9 Niang, in detention in Senegal and currently on hunger strike. I call for his immediate release and access to medical care.\u201d<\/p>\n