By Arret Jatta
The arrest and continued detention of members of Gambians Against Looted Assets (Gala) following the movement’s first anniversary gathering at the Westfield Youth Monument on Friday sparked widespread condemnation from activists, politicians, lawyers and civil society organisations.
The group reportedly secured permission from the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) to use the venue for the anniversary celebration before officers of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) moved in and arrested participants.
Those detained include prominent Gala members Hakeem Touray, Kaddy Jadama, Omar Camara, Abdoulie Bah, Kemesseng ‘Kexx’ Sanneh, Omar Sanyang, Ebrima Kaira and Alieu Sarr.
Chairman of the Brikama Area Council, Yankuba Darboe, condemned the arrests and demanded the immediate release of the detainees.
“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Gala executive members currently detained at the Kairaba Police Station. President Barrow and IGP release them now. No to arbitrary arrest and detention,” Darboe said.
Opposition leader Mamma Kandeh also criticised the police action, saying the relationship between law enforcement and Gala reached “a critical juncture” marked by heavy-handed responses to peaceful assembly.
“The crackdown on Gala often involves the use of excessive force and arbitrary arrest and this doesn’t merely violate human rights but undermines the trust and assurance that citizens should have on their government,” Kandeh stated.
Activist Madi Jobarteh described peaceful assembly as a constitutional right, insisting that the use of the Youth Monument does not require a police permit.
“We stand in full solidarity with them without let or hindrance. Free the youths,” he stated.
Lawyer and former Bar Association president Salieu Taal questioned the legal basis of the arrests, arguing that the constitution and existing laws do not support arbitrary detention of citizens for peacefully assembling.
“The police cannot arbitrarily arrest anyone without legal authority or lawful grounds,” Taal stated, while urging the Attorney General to advise the police to release the detainees.
Academician Essa Njie described the arrests as “another warning to Gambians that dictatorship is slowly resurfacing its ugly head,” accusing the police leadership of suppressing citizens’ freedoms.
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice headed by Madi Jobarteh issued a solidarity statement praising Gala for becoming “one of the most impactful citizen-led accountability movements in The Gambia” within one year and called on government to drop all charges against the protesters and ensure their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly are respected.
Police authorities are yet to publicly explain the legal grounds for the arrests.
The National Human Rights Commission also critised the detention conditions of Gala members.
