West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, has approved the creation of a special court to prosecute crimes committed during Gambia’s military dictatorship under Yahya Jammeh. This decision was announced at a summit of regional leaders in Abuja, Nigeria.
The court will address serious offenses, including arbitrary detentions, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings that occurred during Jammeh’s rule from 1996 to 2017. Jammeh, who lost the 2016 presidential election, went into exile in Equatorial Guinea after initially refusing to step down.
The push for justice gained momentum following the conclusion of Gambia’s truth commission hearings in 2021, which recommended prosecuting those responsible for human rights violations.
Progress has already been made on international fronts. 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 a military unit targeting Jammeh’s opponents, of murder and crimes against humanity.
The Gambian Ministry of Justice called the establishment of the special court a “historic development,” describing it as a major step toward justice and accountability for victims and their families.
This court marks a significant milestone in addressing the injustices of Jammeh’s regime and reflects a broader commitment by West Africa to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
