Gambia: BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights appeal for detained women's rights defenders

BAOBAB for Women’s human Rights calls for the immediate unconditional release on bail of Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho, who were both alleged to be involved in fund misappropriation.

The arrest which occurred on October 11, 2010 arose despite a previous investigation which clearly absolved the human rights activists from this unfounded allegation. The threats, harassment and now subsequent arrest of the human rights activists, without the option of bail is a violation of their right to liberty and a freedom from torture contrary to the tenets of human rights as contained in the Universal Bills of Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

While decrying the repressive policies against human rights activism in the state as it relates to women’s human rights, BAOBAB condemns the act of the National Intelligence Agency and the Gambian government for oppressive and unfair harassment of these women without following due process.

Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho are respectively the Executive Director and Program Coordinator for the Gambia Committee for Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP). GAMCOTRAP is committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls’ political, social, sexual, reproductive health and educational rights.

BAOBAB uses this medium to call on all human rights activists, organizations and networks to roundly condemn this action and join in the effort to bring an end to this oppressive act by

·        Writing a protest letter to the Gambian Government at the embassy in their respective countries for the immediate release and application of due process in accordance with procedures established by the 1997 Constitution of the Federal Republic of The Gambia;

·        Calling the attention of the African Commission for the immediate compliance of the Gambian Authority to the human rights principles contained in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and

·        Urging the Gambian Human Rights Commission to ensure that the human rights of these women to a free and fair trial, freedom from torture and arbitrary arrest/detention as well as the dignity of the human person are upheld.


Signed:

Sindi Medar–Gould
Executive Director

Source: BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights, Nigeria