Subscriptions Central AfricaEast AfricaHorn of AfricaIndian OceanNorth AfricaSouthern AfricaWest AfricaAfrica / World Agriculture - NutritionCulture - ArtsEconomy - DevelopmentEnvironment - NatureGay - LesbianGender - WomenHealthHuman rightsLabourMediaPoliticsScience - EducationSocietyTechnologyTravel - Leisure From Behind By Country By Topic Chronological Press Releases Partner Media Contact Us
   
  

See also:
» 19.11.2009 - Gambian president withdraws from Commonwealth meeting
» 02.06.2009 - US senators petition Gambia in missing journalist's case
» 22.05.2009 - Gambia let down by donors, tourists
» 12.03.2009 - Gambian opposition formally charged
» 09.03.2009 - Opposition leader arrested
» 17.02.2009 - British missionary in court again
» 16.12.2008 - RSF criticises continuing impunity in Gambia
» 05.12.2008 - Two Britons charged with sedition in Gambia

Gambia
Politics | Human rights | Society

Court releases opposition leader

afrol News, 19 March - The Gambian court has freed opposition leader Halifa Sallah from jail with all the charges against him dropped. Mr Sallah who was arrested earlier this month, was charged with spying, sedition and holding illegal meetings.

His release comes just a day after human rights organisation Amnesty International appealed for his release saying he was at risk of being tortured in jail also saying the country will not hold a fair trial for the man.

Mr Sallah an open critique of President Yahya Jammeh, who also stood against him during the 2006 presidential elections, was arrested 11 days ago following his visit in the remote villages to see victims of torture allegedly perpetrated by the government agents.

Mr Sallah was granted bail last week, but was unable to meet the bail terms and had been held at the country's main jail.

On Wednesday, Amnesty International said in a report that witch doctors and security forces in Gambia had detained up to 1,000 people on suspicion of being witches.

According to the organisation victims have been held in secret detention camps for up to five days and forced to drink hallucinogenic substances which have killed at least two people through kidney failure, while others had been beaten almost to death.

In November last year, Amnesty International published a report saying President Jammeh's opponents are subjected to daily rights violations including torture and unlawful arrests. It also detailed a crackdown by authorities on the media.

The Gambia has been ruled by President Jammeh since he grabbed power in a bloodless coup in 1994.


    E-mail this to a friend     Printable version

Related pages and feature
Current afrol News Top Stories
Gambia
Politics
Human rights
Society
Democracy - Dictatorship
Expression
Law
People
Violence
» Ghana-EU sign first voluntary agreement on legal timber exports
» Algeria-Egypt’s World Cup place explodes into a diplomatic war
» Malawi’s rural land development project gets additional funding
» Industrial development key to Africa’s integration in global economy
» Children’s rights still not assured, UNICEF
» Cambodia troops arrive in CAR
» UN-lawmakers' partnership can help the poor out of recession, Ban
» Developing countries urged to make agriculture a funding priority
» Concluding Doha Round could boost recovery, WB
» Zim govt report compliance progress to clean its diamond trade


top of page about afrol News | news | countries | archive | services | feed back | español 

© afrol News. Reproducing or buying afrol News' articles.

   You can contact us at mail@afrol.com