By Omar Bah
The World Movement for Democracy urged the Gambia Government to respect people’s right to freedom of expression and assembly and to lift all charges against Marr Nyang and the other civil society leaders arrested on April 21. Last month, activist Marr Nyang and seven other civil society advocates were arrested and detained for seven hours at police headquarters in Banjul before being released on bail.
Prior to the arrest, Gambia Participates and the National Youth Parliament jointly submitted a written request to the Gambia Police Force to hold a peaceful procession from Independence Drive, Banjul, towards the Gambia Ports Authority, where the Gambia Ferry Service office is housed. However, the police did not respond to their application for a permit to protest the inept perennial ferry crisis at Gambia Ferry Services.
Marr Nyang and other civil society members peacefully protested with a sit-down strike at the Arch Pavilion in Banjul, a public space accessible without a police permit. However, they were met with police orders to vacate the premises immediately. The group expressed concern over the detention and charges brought against the human rights defenders and activists who participated in a peaceful protest. The Gambia has made strides towards becoming an emerging democracy, and its peaceful transition should be respected. This statement was shared with The Standard.
The poor and inept management of the Ferry Services has been causing great suffering to many ordinary Gambians and non-Gambians who rely on the ferry services daily as their primary means of transport to get to work, school, or health services in the city of Banjul and beyond, where most social amenities are located.
According to the group, the Gambia police have often asked human rights defenders to report to the Police Headquarters in Banjul daily to impede their efforts. “Bail is intended to ensure that the bailed individual appears before the police or court when required. It is evident in this situation that Marr and his colleagues are not likely to flee, so demanding daily reports is unjustified and excessive. Marr and his colleagues have consistently and sincerely sought to exercise their constitutional right to assemble as citizens peacefully and lawfully within the bounds of the law,” they stated.
