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| Dr. Janneh was recently released from a Gambian prison where he was serving a life sentence: Photo/Facebook |
The
Civil Society Associations Gambia, CSAG which is partaking in the 25th
anniversary and 52nd Session of the African Commission on Human and
People’s Rights (ACHPR) in Yammousoukro, Cote D’Ivoire, said it highlighted the
“conditions of prisoners”, “human rights abuses” and “disregard for the rule of
law” in The Gambia.
A
Tuesday, October 9, 2012 from the pressure group reads:
“Members
of the Civil Society Associations Gambia participating in the 25th
anniversary and 52nd Session of the African Commission on Human and
People’s Rights in Yammousoukro, Cote D’Ivoire, Tuesday, October 9, 2012
highlighted the conditions of prisoners, human rights abuses and disregard for
the rule of law in The Gambia.
“Addressing
ACHPR Human Rights Commissioners, Coordinator of the Coalition for Change
Gambia Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh, had the opportunity to refute earlier claims
of Gambian Justice Minister Lamin Jobarteh that The Gambia did not violate
human rights of its nationals and or refuse to implement decisions taken against
it.
“Speaking
immediately after the Gambian Minister of Justice, Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh
described himself as a living testimony to the blatant disregard for rule of
law, human rights violations the Government of The Gambia metes out on its
population daily.
“He
told the gathering that he had promised inmates at the notorious Mile Two
Central Prisons that he would champion their causes – lack of access to
healthcare, mortality rates, abuse, and detention without trial - in addition
to other human and constitutional rights that the CCG and its parent
organization CSAG espouse.
“Other
members of the CSAG delegation Ndey Tapha Sosseh of the Coalition for Change
The Gambia and Alh Boubacarr Baldeh, United Free and Democratic Gambia also
took the opportunity to participate in the NGO Forum preceding the Commission
session to network and lobby other civil society and non-governmental
organizations in the region to further highlight the flagrant human rights
violations in The Gambia with a view to exposing the shameful acts of The
Gambia Government and to seek leverage to curb the excessive and high handed
tendencies of the Jammeh Regime.
“Through
CSAG and partners a Resolution was passed at the Forum to move the Commission
from Banjul in order to strip The Gambia of its title as Human Rights Capital
of Africa. This view had the strong
backing of other African NGO’s with Observer status at the Commission who
re-conveyed the message to Commissioners and State parties at the session on
“the Relationship between the ACHPR and Member States.
“The
CSAG officials also had occasion to meet on a one to one basis the ACHPR and UN
special rapporteurs and Commissioners highlighting specifically the issues of
prison conditions, detention, freedom of expression and association, disregard
for rule of law. The issue of the
executions of the nine (9) death row inmates and possible further executions of
the remaining thirty eight (38) were discussed in detail.”
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