The Citizens’ Alliance (CA) received, with disbelief, news of the re-arrest and continuous detention of Nenneh Freda Gomez and her co-worker, Lamin Sey after the High Court ruled that their previous arrest was unlawful. They were on Friday, 19 November 2021 under police custody since then without bail or being arraigned before a court of law.
Several human rights activists, friends and concerned Gambians have visited the arrestees at Senegambia Police Station to stand in solidarity with them before they were transferred to the Anti-Crime Unit at Yundum where they are awaiting “order from the top” to be released or charged. This is not only a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the arrestees, but also a manifestation of how woefully the government has failed to ensure the full realization of the security sector reforms initiated by President Adama Barrow when he came into power in 2017.
Since her arrest on Friday, Nenneh has not seen her two young children and family. This is unacceptable and must not be tolerated under the new Gambia. As a political party, we hereby condemned to the highest order and degree, the continuous detention of Nenneh and Lamin and we call on all state agencies and actors responsible to respect the rulings of the court and the rule of law.
We hereby remind the members of the security force responsible to act in accordance with the law and ensure the full protection of all the rights of the detainees in a manner devoid of unfairness, degrading treatment or other means that are inconsistent with the principles of human dignity.
Secretariat
Citizens’ Alliance
21st, November 2021