Barrow frees 100 political prisoners jailed by Jammeh

Newly sworn-in Gambian President Adama Barrow has freed close to a 100 political prisoners jailed during the era of ex-leader Yahya Jammeh.

According to rights group, most of the freed prisoners who were Jammeh’s opponents were tortured, and some died, in detention centres including the Mile 2 Central Prison in Banjul.

Interior Ministry spokesman Lamin Baba Njie said by telephone that 79 people had been released from Mile 2, and a further 19 from other prisons.

Read also: Tension flares as Turkey accuses Germany of harbouring terrorists

“The releases are part of the prisons reform agenda,” he said.

Continuing, the Interior Ministry spokesman said the release follows the freeing of about 170 prisoners two weeks ago, as the country seeks to turn a page on the authoritarian era of ousted former president Yahya Jammeh.

Recall last month that Barrow replaced the head of the military, a pillar of his predecessor Jammeh’s government, and dismissed several senior military officers while the former head of prisons was also arrested.

 

 

 

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now