International Community urged to act on Gambia deteriorating Human rights Situation

Fatou Jagne with her Team

By Sainey MK Marenah, Editor Justice Blog

Dakar, Senegal

Over a dozen Human rights groups in Dakar has urged the international community including United Nations and African Union to immediately act to halt the deteriorating human rights situation in Gambia following the foiled 30 December coup attempt in the tiny West African state.

The call was made today in The Senegalese city of Dakar by Article 19, Amnesty International among other international right groups saying that over dozen people were arrested, detained without charges in unknown location within the territorial confinement of The Gambia.

At a news conference convened by Article 19 West Africa regional office based in Dakar, The group that has already petition African Union through African Commission on Human and Peoples Right (ACHPR) based in Banjul are calling on international pressure on the Government of Gambia to either release or take the detainees to court as stipulated by the Gambian constitution.

Madam Jagne

“We, civil society organizations based in Senegal, would like to draw your attention to the serious human rights situation in the Gambia since the attempted coup which took place on the night of 29 to 30 December 2014 and was followed by arrests all-out military and civilian relatives of alleged coup plotters. Since taking power 22 July 1994 by President Yahya Jammeh, the Republic of The Gambia, host of the African Commission on Human and Peoples perpetuates authoritarianism, intolerance and serious violations of human rights…. Indeed, in 1994, accession year of President Jammeh, following a {coup, until today, the fundamental rights and freedoms are still flouted in total impunity. This sad fact alone is sufficient to explain the immeasurable number of Attempts to real or imaginary coups lived in twenty (20) years until that of {December 30, 2014.).” the right groups said in a petition sent to ACHPR.
The group further said: “We deplore this crisis and reaffirm our opposition to any seizure of power through undemocratic ways and our commitment {political alternation which is a foundation of the democratic system only guarantees stability and peace. Indeed, following the abortive coup, security forces carried out dozens of arrests of women, men, civilians and soldiers and go door to door to stop the families and relatives of the people who are supposed to have taken part. We are now more than ever concerned about the illegal and indiscriminate reprisals against Gambian citizens in this climate of terror and intimidation prevailing in the Gambia.”

Speaking in an interview with Justice Blog shortly after the news conference, Fatou Jagne, director Article 19, West Africa decried the continue violation of human rights in Gambia.

“In the Gambia there is lack of justice and legal mechanism to protect people, and we are very concern about the total violation of the constitution. There is also a continue climate of fear instituted by the state. The family has no access to their love ones and there exist no legal protection for the detainees to be brought before justice. We are calling on state to take them to court for impartial trial. We are concern  about families arrested including women. These are serious concern to us. We are also concern that no official information is coming out…to tell people the whereabouts of the detainees. People are living in fear and nobody knows who is next…we calling on international to put pressure on Gambia for these detainees to be brought to court. The human rights situation is seriously deteriorating in Gambia.”

For his part, Seedy Gassama, Amnesty International Senegal director also deplored the current human rights situation in Gambia saying the international community should act to prevent the state from committing further impunity and violation.

“Gambia should stop abusing her citizen’s rights and promote democracy and human rights.” He said.

François Patuel, West Africa Team - Campaigner Amnesty International, West and Central Africa Regional Office described the situation in Gambia ‘unacceptable’.

“We are extremely concern about the current situation of Human rights violations unfolding in Gambia. We are calling for investigations in the aftermath of the failed coup and this needs to be done in conjunction with African commission on human and people’s rights and United Nation to guarantee the impartiality of the investigation.” He said.