On 15 December, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) approved the establishment of a Special Tribunal for The Gambia to prosecute crimes committed under former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule (1994–2017). Legal experts note that ECOWAS approval was crucial as several West African nations lost citizens under Jammeh’s regime, strengthening diplomatic pressure on Equatorial Guinea, where Jammeh has been in exile since 2021, to comply with extradition requests. Under the hybrid system, the tribunal will try international crimes, including crimes against humanity and torture, regardless of their status under Gambian law at the time. Based in The Gambia, it may hold trials elsewhere if needed for practical or security reasons. ECOWAS leaders stressed swift implementation, but key steps—including appointing a special prosecutor and securing funding—remain unresolved.

Sources: X, International Commission of Jurists, The Standard, The Associated Press, The Africa Report

On 26 September, police arrested Musa Sekou Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe, two journalists from The Voice newspaper, after they reported on President Adama Barrow’s alleged exit plan and chosen successor, ahead of the 2026 elections. They were charged under Section 181A of the Criminal Code for false publication and broadcasting and required to report to the police daily. In addition to these criminal charges, President Barrow brought a civil defamation lawsuit against The Voice, with his lawyers describing the newspaper report as “defamatory” and “completely outrageous and untrue.” The Gambia Press Union condemned the arrests, calling for all charges to be dropped.

Update: On 4 November, The Office of the President announced that President Barrow had agreed to withdraw his civil defamation lawsuit against The Voice newspaper. According to Committee to Protect Journalists, the criminal charges against Musa Sekou Sheriff and Momodou Justice Darboe are expected to be dropped before the next hearing of their case, on 10 December.     

Sources: The Voice, Committee to Protect Journalists (1), Article19, The Africa Report, Gambiana, State House of The Gambia, Committee to Protect Journalists (2), West Africa Democracy Radio

The Gambian National Assembly voted on 19 March to reverse a ban on female genital mutilation that has been in force since 2015. The Women’s (Amendment) Bill has now passed its second reading and has been referred to a committee for three months of consultations. Opposition to the ban on FGM has grown in the last year since the first convictions and fines for practicing FGM were handed down by a court in the country. At present, almost three quarters of women in the Gambia have been subjected to the practice. If the reversal of the ban on FGM is eventually passed by the parliament, Gambia would become the first country in the world to reverse a ban on the practice.  

Update: On 15 July 2024, The Gambian National Assembly rejected the Women’s Amendment Bill. None of the bill’s clauses were passed and it did not proceed to a third reading.

Sources: The Point, The Guardian, Reuters, The Gambian National Assembly

The Gambian government claimed to have foiled a plot to stage a coup d’état against President Barrow in late December. In all, eight members of the military (all junior rank) and three civilians were charged with treason and conspiracy to commit treason. The accused pled not guilty to the charge of treason. A well-known opposition politician (Momodou Sabally) was arrested around the same time in response to comments he made on social media, but he was released without charge. This is the second alleged coup plot since 2016. The government announced that it had created an investigative panel which will report on the coup plot within 30 days.

Sources: Reuters (1), News24, Reuters (2), Deutsche Welle, Vanguard