During a summit in Abuja, Nigeria, ECOWAS leaders unveiled plans to create a Special Tribunal for Gambia, aimed at prosecuting crimes committed under Yahya Jammeh’s military dictatorship. This landmark decision represents a critical step toward justice for the victims of Jammeh’s rule, which spanned from 1996 to 2017 and was marked by severe human rights violations, including unlawful detentions, sexual abuse, and extrajudicial executions.
Jammeh, who went into exile in Equatorial Guinea after losing the 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow, has faced increasing international pressure for accountability. Calls for justice have grown steadily in Gambia, a small West African nation bordered by Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean.
A truth commission, which concluded its hearings in 2021, recommended the prosecution of those responsible for crimes under Jammeh’s rule. The commission’s findings have since fueled efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.
PRESS RELEASE: The Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS approves the establishment of The Special Tribunal for The Gambia to prosecute perpetrators of gross Human Rights violations. pic.twitter.com/VffevKx4m7
— Ministry of Justice (@Gambia_MOJ) December 15, 2024
Recent international cases have also set a precedent for addressing crimes from this period. In May, Jammeh’s former interior minister was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Swiss court for crimes against humanity. In November, a German court convicted Bai Lowe, a former driver for Jammeh’s death squad, of murder and crimes against humanity.
Gambia’s Justice Ministry welcomed the establishment of the tribunal, calling it a “historic development” and a significant step for Gambia, the region, and the international community. The tribunal represents a crucial move towards accountability and reconciliation for a country still grappling with the legacy of dictatorship.
