Freedom Newspaper (Raleigh, North Carolina)
13 March 2008
document
US State Department Rights Report on The Gambia, catalogued tales of "gross human rights violations, Extra-judicial killings, torture and disappearances of political opponents in the impoverished tiny West African country. The report, which depicts scary human rights crisis, warns that political freedoms in The Gambia has been curtailed since the advent of the Jammeh administration. The State Department report also lambasted the Jammeh Government for its lack of respect for the rule of law and basic freedoms of the citizenry. The State Department also noted the ongoing moves taken by The Gambian Government to block the main IP address of the US based Freedom Newspaper website. The State Department says the Freedom Newspaper was blocked by the Government of The Gambia, during the period in question, with the ultimate goal of denying citizens the right to an independent source of news. Below is the full text of the State Department Report. Please read on...
Gambia, The
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
The Gambia is a multiparty, democratic republic with a population of 1.5 million. In September 2006 President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh was reelected for a third five-year term in an election considered partially free and fair. President Jammeh's party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), continued to dominate after the National Assembly elections held on January 25, which were considered partially free and fair. In March 2006 a coup attempt was uncovered, and approximately 50 suspects were detained, one of whom remained in detention without charge awaiting trial at year's end. The trial of a second suspect began on December 5 and was ongoing at year's end. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances where security forces acted independently of government authority.
The government's respect for the human rights of its citizens did not improve during the year. Although the constitution and law provide for protection of most human rights, there were problems in many areas. Prison conditions remained poor. Arbitrary arrests and detentions continued. Security forces harassed and mistreated detainees, prisoners, opposition members, and journalists with impunity. Prisoners were held incommunicado, faced prolonged pretrial detention, and were denied due process. The government restricted freedom of speech and press. Women experienced violence and discrimination, and female genital mutilation (FGM) remained a problem. Child labor and trafficking in persons also were problems.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:
a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
There were no confirmed reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. However, on May 9, police volunteer Dodou Janneh stabbed and killed Sheriff Minteh during a police raid in Serrekunda, where officers were searching for youths smoking cannabis. On May 16, Janneh was charged with murder, and the case was ongoing at year's end.
In the case of the March 2006 coup plot, there were no developments in the case of the five detainees earlier held in the case but who the government claimed escaped while being transferred to a minimum security prison in April 2006. The government did not respond to allegations by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and online newspapers that the prisoners had been executed.
On May 19, the NGO Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative called for an African Commission on Human and People's Rights investigation of the 2005 deaths of at least eight migrant workers from Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo found dead in Brufut, near Banjul. In January 2006 government authorities announced the launch of an investigation into the deaths after the Ghanaian government and NGOs claimed that the government ordered state security guards to kill the men. No developments were reported by year's end.
b. Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances during the year.
Since the July 2006 disappearance of journalist Ebrima Manneh, the government has denied holding him in custody, and on February 21, the police denied arresting him. On June 20, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) brought a lawsuit concerning Manneh's disappearance against the government at the Economic Community of West African States Community (ECOWAS) Court. On July 26, Manneh was reportedly sighted seeking medical treatment under police supervision at a hospital in Banjul, but his whereabouts remained unknown at year's end. During the year the ECOWAS court hearing repeatedly was postponed due to lack of government representation at the proceedings; a hearing was pending at year's end.
On June 7, the defense lawyer in the case of United Democratic Party (UDP) supporter Kanyiba Kanyi filed a writ of habeas corpus at the high court in Banjul ordering the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and police to release Kanyi. In September 2006 security forces reportedly arrested Kanyi and in October and December 2006 the courts ordered his release. The lawyer maintained that Kanyi was being held by the NIA, but his whereabouts remained unknown at year's end.
On October 12, Tamba Fofana was released without charge from police custody after being arrested in September 2006 on accusations of "anti state" activities. Police had denied knowledge of his whereabouts despite a court order in December 2006 to release him.
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The constitution and law prohibit such practices; however, there were reports that security forces beat and mistreated persons in custody. Throughout the year, defendants, including those held in connection with the March 2006 coup plot, made credible reports of being tortured while in detention. The torture claims included allegations of electrocution, cigarette burns, plastic bags held over people's heads, knife wounds, cold water treatments, and threats of being shot. The government did not respond to these allegations.
The Indemnity Act continued to prevent victims from seeking redress in torture cases related to official actions taken by military personnel during the country's period of military rule from 1994-1996. The army requests that victims file formal complaints with the courts regarding alleged torture that occurred outside the official military rule. However, there were no known prosecutions in civil courts or military courts of security forces members accused of mistreating individuals during the year. On August 16, at the closing ceremony of a civil-military relations seminar, the military chief of staff publicly announced a zero-tolerance policy for military abuse of civilians, and some reports indicated such abuse may have declined.
On November 29, the MFWA filed a lawsuit against the government at the ECOWAS court over the March 2006 illegal detention and torture of journalist Musa Saidykhan, editor in chief of The Independent newspaper. Saidykhan claimed electric shocks were administered to his naked body during his 22-day detention before he was released without charge. No government representative appeared at the ECOWAS hearing, and the government did not respond to the torture allegations by year's end.
There were no developments in the 2005 case in which the Police Intervention Unit--a paramilitary wing of the police--severely beat workers at a hotel construction site for reportedly obstructing a police officer and helping to free a prisoner.
Unlike in the previous year, there were no claims by opposition members that the government trained vigilante groups, known as "green boys", who were suspected of past human rights offenses.
Prison and Detention Center Conditions
Prison conditions generally did not meet international standards, although detention center conditions generally did. The government permitted some visits by independent human rights observers, but they were not allowed to visit detainees and prisoners connected to matters considered politically sensitive.
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AMERICA? Hear who is talking! Does Guantanamo Bay ring any bells. America is the mother and father of all human rights violators. Yet idiots like this watchman come so-called journalist dare talk about America's view on Gambia. Think again!
Often African countries are looked at left eyes by develoded countries( USA and U.K) as the countries that violetes human rights. In fact is not true just propaganda and their aim is to show Africa has no democracy while there is democracy only thing makes us African to fight is because of selfshiness and love of power to our leader, where most of them are planted by them. In may opinoin these countries are looking for ruling Africa at the second time by dominating and governing the organs of the states, especial judicials sectors. In Gambia there… [Read Full Text]
I ll still maintain d legal notion dat any one who fail 2 honour or respect human right does not save or benefit u but only lead 2 d worse 4 u.A WORD 4 A WISE IS ENOUGHT.thank once again n keep it up.