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Momodou
Denmark
11818 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Sep 2006 : 22:22:24
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Foroyaa Editorial
Impunity! Impunity! Impunity!
When Will It End?
Arrests and detention without trial are now a common phenomenon in this country. People are arrested and kept for days, weeks or even months before they are released. Hardly are charges proferred against them. They are quite often simply arrested, detained and released. Most of such detainees are held at the NIA headquarters or at Mile II Prisons.
The constitution requires that an arrested person held in detention be taken to court within 72 hours or be released with or without condition. The facts are to the contrary. Duta Kamaso, a former MP, has been held in the custody of the NIA for more than three months now, Sergeant Buba E.B Jammeh of the state guard, for more than three months, Malick Mboob a media practitioner for more than two months, Mr. Ndondi Njie, former IEC Chairman for more than three weeks and Buba Sanyang a NADD supporter who had filled 17 nomination forms for more than one week. The whereabouts of Chief Manneh of the Daily Observer is not known thought it is believed that he is kept at Mile 2 Prisons. Other arrestees include Nuru Secka, Buba Manneh and Sergeant Buba Mendy.
The list goes on and on. What the regime hopes to gain by detaining persons in gross violation of the constitution when elections are just round the corner is difficult to understand. Such detention without trial can be easily seen as a means of silencing or demobilizing opponents of the regime.
Needless to say, Section 24 of the constitution makes it abundantly clear that every arrested person must be presumed innocent until he/she is proven or pleads guilty. Thus these detainees, unless they are released, will be denied their right to vote contrary to Section 26 of the constitution which is a fundamental right.
International observers should take note of this since it infringes on the freeness and fairness of elections.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 73/2006, 4-5 September, 2006
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