Senegalese demonstrate against executions in Gambia


  1. Buya Jammeh, AfricaNews reporter in Dakar, Senegal
    Senegal has joined the international community in condemning Gambia's execution of nine death row inmates, two of whom were Senegalese. The incident has further strained the neighbour's already turbulent relationship. In Dakar, human rights activists rallied outside the Gambian High Commission Thursday to call on authorities to suspend all capital punishment.
    Senegal
    Dozens crowded the narrow street outside the Commission, Thursday. Their message: Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh is a murderer.

    Senegalese activist Alioune Tine led the small, but fervent, crowd. He called on the entire international community to react quickly against President Jammeh, whom he called a dictator, before it's too late. If not, he said, all the other death row inmates will be killed and thrown in mass graves like the first nine.

    According to the RADHO boss, the president of the African Commission on Human and People’s and his entire team break the silence on the issue, adding that they will ensure that head offices of the African Commission is remove in Banjul.

    Tine's African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights organized the demonstration with Amnesty International and Coalition for Human rights in the Gambia (CHRG) to intervene on behalf of the remaining 39 death row inmates whom President Jammeh has promised to execute by mid-September.

    Lawyer Bu Kunta Diallo Senegalese international Human rights said they will file a case against President Yahya Jammeh at the international Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure that justice is done on this issue.

    Lawyer Diallo says “We also do our best to ensure that the head quarters of the African commission is remove from Banjul, “I cannot imagine a country like the Gambia hosting such an important human right body when the country itself does not respect human rights”

    Family members of one of the death row victims has demanded the Gambia government hand over her remains to them.

    The Gambian government announced Monday that nine death row prisoners had been killed by firing squad the night before. The European Union, the United Nations and other world powers condemned Gambia's actions and are calling on Gambia to refrain from further executions.

    Two Senegalese citizens were among those executed. The executions have further soured relations that were already tense because of trade and transport disputes and Gambia's rumored support for separatist rebels in southern Senegal.

    Senegalese President Macky Sall summoned the Gambian ambassador Wednesday for a dressing down over the executions. Sall reportedly demanded an explanation as to why Senegal was not notified of the impending execution of its citizens.

    Jammeh's 18 years in power have been marked by reports of human rights abuses, including torture, attacks on journalists and threats against homosexuals.



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