Author: Amnesty International
Affiliated organization: Amnesty International
Type of publication: article
Date of publication: September 2021
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Despite Gambian President Adama Barrow’s pledge to reform the country nearly five years ago, oppressive laws curtailing human rights including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, which were used under former President Yahya Jammeh to suppress peaceful dissent remain operative, Amnesty International said in a new analysis published today.
“There is still no new Constitution. Punitive and restrictive legal provisions on human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly among other issues are still on the statute books. What’s more, the current parliamentary session, which represents one of the rare opportunities to make significant legal reforms and changes consistent with the country’s international human rights obligations before the presidential election in December, is expected to end by next week.”
On 14 February 2018, the Court of Justice of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a judgment that found most Gambian media laws violated freedom of expression. The court asked the government to repeal or amend all criminal laws on libel, sedition, and false news in line with Gambia’s obligations under international human rights law.
Among the most notorious are: Section 138 of the Information and Communications Act, which gives national security agencies, investigating authorities and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority the powers to monitor, intercept and store communications for surveillance purposes without effective judicial oversight.
On 26 January 2020, the police closed local radio stations King FM and Home Digital FM after they covered a protest that was violently suppressed by the police
As it stands, the current Criminal Code still contains several clauses restricting the right to freedom of expression, criminalizing sedition as related to the President and providing for stiff penalties, including imprisonment, for those who dare to criticize the authorities – a concern for journalists and human rights defenders. It also allows for the confiscation of publications and printing machines.
- Legal provisions muzzle dissenting voices
The Gambian Press Union (GPU) told Amnesty International that the laws continue to create a hostile environment for journalists. While attacks on journalists have fallen under President Barrow, several high-profile arrests have shown the risk of these repressive laws being used to muzzle dissenting voices more widely.
On 26 January 2020, the police closed local radio stations King FM and Home Digital FM after they covered a protest that was violently suppressed by the police. Police also arrested and charged the stations’ owners and managers with broadcasting incendiary messages and inciting violence. Although the charges were eventually dropped, their broadcasting licenses were suspended for one month.
- Public Order Act used to suppress protests
Section 5 of the Public Order Act requiring permission from the police to protest remains in force and has been used to restrict public gatherings over the past five years. “The Public Ord er Act has had a huge bearing on peaceful protests and assembly. They arrest people protesting peacefully without the IG’s permission, they randomly refuse permits. There have been various discussions about it, but it is not moving”, said a member of an international organization working on human rights in Gambia.
- Danger of repressive laws
Despite the many efforts of civil society and the international community, the government has so far failed to pass a new Constitution. Instead, the Gambian parliament rejected a draft Constitution in September 2020. The current Constitution also gives blanket immunity to members of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council and individuals appointed by them, as well as any member of the government or individuals allegedly involved in the 1994 coup d’état.
- Positive steps
Despite slow progress in reforming repressive laws, Amnesty International welcomed the enactment of the Access to Information law on 1 July 2021, designed to help the public and the media to access information.
Another positive development has been the National Human Rights Commission, which was established by an act passed by the National Assembly in 2017 and became operational in 2019. Amnesty International is calling for alleged perpetrators of human rights violations to be prosecuted following concerns from civil society that members of Jammeh’s regime who admitted to their crimes at the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) are still in the security apparatus.
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