By Makutu Manneh
President Adama Barrow has granted a full and unconditional pardon to 105 convicted prisoners in The Gambia, in a gesture timed to coincide with Yawm al-Ashura, a solemn day of remembrance observed in the Islamic calendar.
According to a statement issued by State House, the president acted under the prerogative of mercy granted to him by Section 82(1)(a) of the 1997 Constitution, following consultations with the Constitutional Committee, a body established under Section 82(2) to review such matters.
The statement said Mr. Barrow had personally reviewed the circumstances of each of the 105 beneficiaries before concluding that their cases warranted clemency.
“The President personally considered the individual circumstances of each of the one hundred and five beneficiaries and was satisfied that those circumstances warranted the grant of a free and unconditional pardon,” the statement noted.
Those pardoned include 103 men and two women, among them both Gambian citizens and foreign nationals who met the eligibility criteria set by the Constitutional Committee, State House said.
Officials described the pardons as consistent with the president’s commitment to mercy, compassion, and restorative justice—themes closely associated with Ashura, which commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and is marked by reflection and acts of charity across the Muslim world.
The Office of the President called on the newly freed individuals and their families to use the opportunity to reintegrate into their communities and contribute productively to society.
The pardons add to a series of clemency measures Mr. Barrow has issued during his tenure, often timed to religious or national observances, as part of what his office has described as an effort to balance justice with mercy.
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