EFSCRJ hereby informs the public that we have submitted a letter today to relevant authorities demanding investigations and accountability for violations of the law and human rights during the protests against PURA’s data price floor last week. These authorities are the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s Chambers, Gambia Police Force, the Office of National Security, and the National Human Rights Commission. These institutions bear primary duty to ensure public institutions respect and protect human rights and abide by the rule of law.
We remain gravely concerned over the unlawful crackdown by the Gambia Police Force on peaceful protesters during demonstrations held on 22nd, 23rd and 25th August 2025 in relation to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) data price floor. The events, which began as a lawful and peaceful assembly in front of PURA offices, tragically escalated into arbitrary arrests, torture, and inhuman treatment of citizens, including minors and women. In total, 45 people were arrested, subjected to degrading treatment, and detained under unacceptable conditions. Tear gas was recklessly deployed even within the precincts of the Kanifing Magistrates Court, violating both national and international standards on policing.
EFSCRJ’s monitoring has revealed:
- The unlawful dispersal of a peaceful assembly that required no police permit under the Public Order Act.
- Arbitrary and disproportionate use of force, including the arrest of uninvolved bystanders.
- Inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees, including torture, overcrowded and unhygienic cell conditions, and unlawful detention of minors with adults, and women with men.
- The cutting of dreadlocks of activist Ali Cham (Killa Ace) in Mile 2 Prison, a degrading act with no basis in law.
- Indiscriminate use of tear gas, which constitutes torture under international law.
These incidents represent a blatant violation of the 1997 Constitution, the Public Order Act, international human rights treaties to which The Gambia is a party, and the Gambia Police Force’s own Code of Conduct.
EFSCRJ therefore demands:
- An independent and impartial investigation into all violations committed by police officers, with perpetrators held accountable and victims accorded justice.
- The Inspector General of Police to issue a clear directive confirming that stationary public assemblies without processions or loudspeakers do not require permits.
- The issuance of a transparent notification system for assemblies to guarantee police presence for protection rather than suppression.
- An end to police practices that shield public institutions from accountability by denying citizens their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
The Gambia’s hard-won democracy cannot thrive if the police continue to act as an impediment rather than a guarantor of rights. We remind all state institutions that they bear a moral, legal, and historic obligation to safeguard democracy, human rights, and the rule of law for the peace and prosperity of all Gambians.
In the interest of justice, accountability, and human rights, we call on the government to act swiftly.
2025 – The Year of Transparency and Accountability
