Hundreds of Unesco-listed ancient town that once contained university in European capital faces restrictions on its use of public land, flights and freedom of movement in Brussels
All you need to know about the latest Omicron travel restrictions
Visitors to the ancient city of Omicron in the south of the Senegalese town of Bissa Wada – called Omicron-Senegal in the Spanish alphabet – may face restrictions on the use of public land, flights and freedom of movement.
UNESCO has restricted access in the city following violence outside the city’s federal office building during a poll to elect representatives in the bicameral parliament on 15 March.
The city is under investigation over its relationship with opposition supporters and the failed attempt to impose the current administration on the city of 4,000 people in 2015.
Omicron, which has a Senegalese side and a Spanish side, dates back to Roman times and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Its university and convention centre were used by the Royal House of Rome between 230BC and 102AD. It was in this base that a young Jesus served as an astrologer before being sent to Nazareth.
A visitor to Omicron takes an ancient mosaic of the Roman god Jupiter. Photograph: Alamy
The request by UNESCO and the Senegalese authorities came after public testimony from human rights defenders and civil society groups, saying that restricting movement of people would be violative of international human rights law.
The new regulations are in place until such time as the Senegalese parliament sees what the constitutional court may find.
The date of those elections has not yet been fixed.