Free speech: Is Gambia sliding back into dictatorship?

Gambian President Adama Barrow was celebrated in 2016 after defeating his predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, in a presidential election, effectively ending 22 years of dictatorship and paving a return to democracy.

However, critics now argue that Barrow is slowly eroding the democratic gains made during the early days of his presidency. Civil rights groups and media organizations want Barrow to uphold democracy in Gambia and allow freedom of speech for all Gambians.

The recent arrest of journalists and critics has diminished press freedom in Gambia and drawn criticism from both the public and civil society organizations.

"Detention without trial, arbitrary arrest, keeping people incommunicado, these are the things that we are seeing today that happened during Jammeh's time," Famara Jawneh, a human rights advocate in Banjul, told DW.

"It's unfortunate that the president can say that even if you are bailed in court, he can order your arrest. That is not what democracy is all about. That is not separation of power, and that's not rule of law," Jawneh added. 

Journalists and activists arrested

Madi Jobarteh, a human rights activist and political commentator, was arrested on October 9 after complaining that police were surveilling him. Jobarteh was also questioned about his criticism of the president on social media platforms.

Opposition activists Bayo Sonko and Modou Sabally were arrested last month but are currently out on bail. Another journalist also on bail is Bakary Mankajang, who was arrested by Gambian police in connection with his reporting on police killings in Casamance.

Mankajang is an independent reporter who posts on TikTok and a Facebook page called Mankajang Daily. Both his platforms have approximately 70,000 followers. His release from detention resulted from the efforts of the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, a US-based independent organization that fights for the rights of journalists. 

Gambia backslides into a dictatorship

In an interview with DW, the president of the Gambia Press Union, Muhammed S. Bah, said his organization is concerned about the deteriorating situation in the Gambia.

"There is a looming threat against press freedom and freedom of expression because if you look at the past regime, these are some of the things that happened. So this is a concern, and it is really a serious threat to our democratic gains," Bah said.

A resident in the capital Banjul, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told DW that President Barrow was becoming intolerant to dissenting voices.

"No one is safe in Gambia. He [Barrow] started arresting political opponents. He came for activists. He came for journalists. I think it's about time we rise up and fight against Barrow for him not to take us back to Jammeh's time." 

 

Sankulleh Janko in Banjul contributed to this report.

Edited by: Cai Nebe