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[Gambia] No to the extradition to Gambia of those arrested in Guinea-Bissau, and no to the arrest of the families of those accused of attempting a coup

25 octobre 2025

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JOINT PRESS RELEASE

No to the extradition to The Gambia of people arrested in Guinea-Bissau, and to the arrest of relatives of those accused of involvement in the attempted coup

The African Meeting for the Defence of Human Rights (RADDHO), Amnesty International/Senegal, the Senegalese League for Human Rights (LSDH), Article 19/West Africa and the International Society for Human Rights/Senegal (SIDH/Senegal) are following with concern the situation in The Gambia following the failed coup attempt against President Yahya Jammeh, which took place during the night of Monday 29 to Tuesday 30 December 2014.

Having been informed that several dozen civilians and military personnel, including mothers, have been arrested in Gambian territory, and that some people have reportedly taken refuge in Guinea-Bissau, our organisations, while strongly condemning this attempted coup aimed at overthrowing President Yahya Jammeh:

  • Strongly recommend that the Government of Guinea-Bissau not extradite people arrested on its territory to The Gambia, where they risk facing the death penalty;
  • Urge the Gambian authorities, government, and security and defence forces to act in full respect of human rights and in accordance with their commitments under international and regional legal instruments;
  • Make an urgent appeal to the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to open a transparent and impartial investigation into the serious and repeated human rights violations committed in The Gambia over the past two decades. These violations have followed successive waves of repression against journalists, human rights defenders, members of political parties and civic movements, forcing many Gambian citizens into exile.

Issued in Dakar, 2 January 2015

Signatory organisations

  • African Meeting for the Defence of Human Rights (RADDHO)
  • Amnesty International/Senegal
  • Senegalese League for Human Rights
  • Article 19/West Africa
  • SIDH/Senegal

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