cc United Nations PhotoReleased in response to Gambia’s ‘Freedom Day’ on Thursday 22 July, this joint statement from civil society organisations aims to draw attention to Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s ‘appalling human rights record’. The statement underlines that: 'Freedom remains an illusion for most Gambians, who live in fear of arbitrary arrest, torture, incommunicado detention, unfair trials, rape, disappearance and extrajudicial executions.'
As Gambia celebrates its national holiday today, called ‘Freedom Day’ by President Yahya Jammeh, hundreds of activists representing over 87 non-governmental organisations participated in protests and other activities in 14 countries. On this ‘day of action’, activists in 14 different countries worldwide will draw attention to the appalling human rights record of President Yahya Jammeh’s government in Gambia. Naming Gambia’s national holiday ‘Freedom Day’ is a shameful travesty: President Yahya Jammeh’s government has cracked down on political freedom and commits widespread human rights violations with total impunity. Freedom remains an illusion for most Gambians, who live in fear of arbitrary arrest, torture, incommunicado detention, unfair trials, rape, disappearance and extrajudicial executions.