By Makutu Manneh
A member of the National Assembly has sharply criticized the arrest of members of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), saying their detention amounts to intimidation rather than lawful policing.
Modou Lamin B. Bah, the National Assembly Member for Banjul North, made the remarks following the arrest of several GALA members during a one-year anniversary gathering held at the Youth Monument at Westfield.
In a statement posted on his official page, Mr. Bah said the action taken by the Gambia Police Force “is not an enforcement of the law but an intimidation,” which he described as “unacceptable” in a democratic society.
“In a democracy, the right to organize, to assemble, and to speak is not a favor from the state. It is a guarantee under Section 25 of our Constitution,” he wrote. “When citizens who are not violent, not armed, and not breaking any law are taken from their homes or offices, we are no longer practicing democracy. We are practicing fear.”
Mr. Bah said authorities had not provided a clear legal justification for the arrests and urged the Inspector General of Police to either release the detained GALA executive members unconditionally or bring them before a competent court within 72 hours, in accordance with legal requirements.
He further called on the National Assembly’s Human Rights Committee to summon the Inspector General of Police to account for the arrests, arguing that Parliament “cannot be silent when rights are violated.”
The lawmaker also appealed to the Ministry of Interior to reinforce respect for due process within the police force, noting that the country “turned the page on arbitrary detention in 2016” and should not return to such practices.
“To the youth of Banjul North and across The Gambia: Your voice matters. Your right to organize matters,” he said, adding that he would use his oversight role to defend constitutional freedoms.
He emphasized that law enforcement officers have a duty to protect citizens rather than persecute them, stating that the police uniform “is a symbol of law, not a license to break it.”
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