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Momodou
Denmark
11759 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Aug 2025 : 18:07:36
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A Sad and Worrying Situation
By Madi Jobarteh
This week, I have been attending a workshop organized by the Office of the National Security on the security sector reform. The participants included the police, military, intelligence, immigration, and other security officers. Essentially , the workshop was about how to make the security institutions adhere to the rule of law, and democratic principles and standards in their work.
Yet today, the IGP has decided to deny citizens to exercise their democratic rights in holding PURA accountable. It is common knowledge that PURA has not only taken a bad decision by introducing a price floor for internet data but has also been underperforming in its functions. They have failed to protect and serve public interest as they always favor telecoms and utility companies.
In view of that, citizens and organizations such as GALA, EFSCRJ, and Team Gomsa Bopa decided to assemble in front of PURA building to show their grievances captured in a petition that they wished to submit. This action was lawful, peaceful, democratic and necessary for national development.
To our shock and disappointment, the IGP deployed armed police to forcefully disperse the gathering. We have engaged the officers on the ground to inform them that this was a peaceful demonstration which does not require a police permit. We welcomed their presence and assured them that this was a peaceful protest.
We reminded the officers that we do not need a police permit for a peaceful assembly where we were not engaged in a procession or using a loudspeaker. But the officers will have none of it as they insisted that everyone disperses. They became totally uncooperative and forcefully arrested several individuals including Lamin Sey, Killa Ace, Yusef Taylor and others.
What really is the objective of the police? To protect PURA and shield it from accountability or to protect the rights of citizens to exercise their rights? What the police did tantamount to undermining accountability of public institutions which is inimical to security sector reform principles, standards and objectives. By preventing PURA from being held accountable, the police have severely undermined the principles of democratic governance and the Constitution.
The police cannot insist that every gathering should require a permit. The Public Order Act never said that. The law provides that the only kind of public assembly that requires a permit is one that involves a procession or the use of loudspeaker. Lot of naming, marriage or funeral ceremonies, Gamo, and other social events take place for which no permit is required.
The IGP must review his position and role. Law enforcement should not undermine human rights and democracy and good governance. The IGP should realize that he needs to step out when citizens hold government institutions accountable through protests. Rather the IGP should deploy his officers to maintain law and order, and not interfere.
We are citizens like Pres. Adama Barrow and the IGP Seedy Muctarr Touray himself. As they do not wish to burn down the Gambia so also we the citizens do not want to burn down the Gambia! We all uphold the best interest of the Gambia through our various positions and roles which do not necessarily conflict.
I call for the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested individuals and urge the Gambia Police Force to uphold the law impartially, consistently and sincerely.
For The Gambia, Our Homeland
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11759 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2025 : 21:43:27
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19 Youths Detained and Charged
By Madi Jobarteh
It is confirmed that 19 people were arrested today in front of PURA by the police. They have been charged with unlawful assembly.
The youths were first detained at Kairaba Police Station until this afternoon when they were distributed to 4 various police stations: Kairaba, Kanifing, Kotu, and Bakoteh police stations. The police said the distribution was because the cell at Kairaba Police Station is small to contain all 19 people. Indeed the cell is small for that large number of people.
The protesters have been denied bail after repeated interventions by us and the NHRC.
We demand their immediate and unconditional release.
We demand PURA to rescind their anti-consumer price floor decision.
Public institutions have to be held accountable for their decisions and actions. The police should step aside and allow citizens to hold public institutions and officials accountable!
Today, unfortunately the Gambia Police Force has only succeeded in shielding PURA from accountability by denying citizens exercise their lawful rights. The police have allowed the bad decisions of PURA to prevail against the interest of our students, teachers, nurses, farmers, small businesses, workers in all sectors and poor ordinary citizens of this land.
The actions of the police only served to undermine good governance and accountability but empower official corruption, inefficiency and abuse of power.
For The Gambia #127468;#127474; Our Homeland |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2025 : 13:16:00
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I have observed that in a growing number of countries that politicians appear to have let power go to the top of their thinking ,caring for the citizens who have elected them in the past has become an irritant ,many politicians in the world have decided that all power must be under their control.
Free speech by citizens has been undermined by many of the political class. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11759 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 15:53:42
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PUBLIC STATEMENT 24th August 2025
EFSCRJ Calls for the Immediate and Unconditional Release of Protesters
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice stands in total solidarity with the detained protesters in their refusal to be released on conditional bail. We demand their immediate and an unconditional release as their arrest and detention on August 22 by the Gambia Police Force was unlawful. They are citizens who were exercising their constitutional right to peacefully protest the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) decision to impose a data price floor. There is no law that requires a permit for a public assembly which does not involve a procession or the use of a loudspeaker as was the case on August 22.
Therefore, we categorically state that these detained individuals are political prisoners, as their only “offense” was to speak out and assemble against an unjust policy that directly affects the rights and livelihoods of Gambians. The criminalization of dissent and the restriction of free expression undermine democracy, violate the 1997 Constitution, and contradict The Gambia’s obligations under international human rights law.
EFSCRJ therefore demands the immediate and unconditional release of all protesters. We further call on the State to desist from using the security apparatus to silence criticism and instead engage citizens in open, transparent, and democratic dialogue on matters of public interest.
Democracy thrives and peace prevails when citizens are free to assemble, express opinions, and hold leaders and institutions accountable without fear of repression. The detention of these protesters represents an alarming regression that cannot be accepted.
We call on the IGP and the men and women of the Gambia Police Force to recognize their position and role in a democratic republic, which is to enforce the law fairly, consistently, and professionally without fear or favour. The Police should enable and not disable democracy and good governance. We are therefore hugely disturbed by the selective and forceful application of the law by the Police thereby disabling efforts aimed at promoting justice and accountability while aiding and abetting corruption and inefficiency in public institutions. We urge the IGP to turn around the police from weaponization and politicization to be rather the genuine, professional, and human rights protection institution it is envisaged to be in the Constitution and the Police Act and other laws of the Gambia and in line with the objectives of the Security Sector Reforms.
EFSCRJ is committed not to allow democratic backsliding in the Gambia. In 2016, the ‘Gambia Has Decided’ for the adherence to the rule of law, promotion of democracy, protection of human rights, and efficient service delivery and Never Again to abuse of power, violations of rights, and corruption. We will not accept a reversal.
We stand in solidarity with all Gambians who continue to struggle for their rights and dignity.
2025 – The Year of Transparency and Accountability |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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A Sad and Worrying Situation
