By Talibeh Hydara
President Barrow has told the United Nations General Assembly that since he took over in 2017, no journalist or rights activist has been sent to prison and neither there is any political prisoner.
Speaking on Thursday at the 79th Sessions about the value of upholding human rights, the president said: “I am happy to report that, since 2017, The Gambia has neither recorded a single political prisoner, nor has any journalist or human rights activist been jailed.
Proudly too, in August 2024, The Gambia was recognised as one of Africa’s leading defenders of freedom of expression and ranked third in Article 19’s Global Expression Report 2024. We will continue striving to better our situation.”
He said The Gambia is committed to promoting human rights, adding that the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission with an impartial Judiciary give citizens mechanisms to seek justice.
“As committed advocates of peace and security, respect for basic rights and freedoms, and the application of international law, we stand firmly against injustice, no matter where it occurs. No doubt, as a nation of peace, guided by democratic principles, we have learned valuable lessons to act upon and share.
With the help of the international community, we are steadily taking steps to bring closure to the saga of the victims of dictatorship in our country. So far, we have successfully managed the Transitional Justice and Reform processes. Moving forward, we count on your support in the next critical stages of ensuring justice, reconciliation, and reparation, where necessary.
The Gambia will continue advocating preventive approaches to peacebuilding to avert future conflicts,” he said.
