Case History: Isatou Touray
On 12 November 2012, a magistrate in Banjul rendered a judgement of acquittal in a protracted criminal trial involving two prominent Gambian human rights defenders, Dr Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang-Sissoho.
Dr Isatou Touray is a Gambian woman human rights defender and Executive Director of the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP). She works tirelessly for the well-being of girls by ending harmful traditional practices like FGM and child marriage. She faces ongoing harassment and has been arrested on the 11th October 2010 as a result of her efforts which challenge powerful interests in The Gambia.
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- 14 نوفَمْبِر / تشرين الثاني 2012 : Acquittal of prominent human rights defenders Dr Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang-Sissoho of GAMCOTRAP
- 2 نوفَمْبِر / تشرين الثاني 2011 : Continuing judicial harassment of Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho
- 22 اكتوبر / تشرين الأول 2010 : Human rights defenders Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang Sissoho released on bail
- 18 اكتوبر / تشرين الأول 2010 : Les défenseuses des droits humains Dr Isatou Touray et Mme Amie Bojang-Sissoho restent en détention provisoire dans l’attente de leur procès
On 12 November 2012, a magistrate in Banjul rendered a judgement of acquittal in a protracted criminal trial involving two prominent Gambian human rights defenders, Dr Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang-Sissoho.
The human rights defenders are, respectively, the Executive Director and the Programme Coordinator of The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP), an organisation working in the area of sexual and reproductive health and the rights of women and children.
Both Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho have been dragged into court repeatedly over the last two years in a seemingly endless case of judicial harassment characterised by repetitive adjournments and a delaying strategy that resulted in continued hindrance to the legitimate work of GAMCOTRAP.
The two women human rights defenders were arrested on 11 October 2010 and charged with theft for the alleged embezzlement of €30,000 of GAMCOTRAP funding. Throughout the trial, the defenders have consistently maintained their innocence, emphasising that they did not use any donor money for personal gains.
The court stated in its ruling that “there was no iota of evidence that Dr. Touray and Amie Bojang used the money for personal gains...the prosecution has failed to prove the basic ingredients of the charges against the two and the court hereby acquitted and discharged them.”
In a short address after the verdict, Dr Isatou Touray seized the opportunity to thank the court for “judiciously executing justice.” She also expressed gratitude to all organisations, institutions, media houses and individuals who stood by them and showed solidarity as the long trial proceeded.
Front Line Defenders welcomes the news of Dr Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho's acquittal.
Human rights defenders Dr Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho will appear in court on 3 November 2011. Over a year after the opening of the trial and with no substantive evidence from the prosecution having been presented, the authorities continue to adjourn and unduly prolong the trial.
Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho are, respectively, Executive Director and Programme Coordinator of The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP), an organisation working in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and children.
During the last court hearing at Banjul Magistrate Court, on 13 October 2011, Isatou Touray, who is also first defense witness, testified again about the activities of GAMCOTRAP and rejected the accusation of theft of funds provided to GAMCOTRAP by a Spanish donor organisation, Yolocamba Solidaridad. The office of the prosecutor, represented by Superintendent Sainey Joof, did not proceed to cross examine Isatou Touray but applied instead for another adjournment. The presiding judge, Sherrif Tabally, agreed on the postponement and adjourned the case to 3 November 2011 at 9.30 am.
To view a short video of Dr Isatou Touray, click here
The two women human rights defenders were arrested on 11 October 2010 and charged with theft for the alleged embezzlement of €30,000 of GAMCOTRAP funding. While bail was initially refused, they were eventually released on 20 October 2010 upon a bail bond of 1.5 million Dalasi (€36,000) for Isatou Touray and 1 million 500 Dalasi for Amie Bojang Sissoho as well as a surety with a landed property.
Before their arrest and trial, in May 2010, the Office of the President set up a commission of inquiry to investigate GAMCOTRAP's use of its funding. The Commission concluded that the allegation of misappropriation of funds were unfounded. However, shortly after publication of the findings, members of the commission were dismissed.
During the trial, on 31 January 2011, the director of Yolocamba Solidaridad testified that they had not accused GAMCOTRAP of theft, nor reported them to the police or filed a complaint.
Front Line condemns what appears to be a delaying strategy which results in continued hindrance to the legitimate work of GAMCOTRAP. In addition to the frequent postponements and adjournments, three different judges have been assigned to preside over the trial since its opening.
Human rights defenders Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang Sissoho have been released on bail following a court hearing at Banjul Magistrates Court on 20 October 2010. The terms of the bail included the payment of 1.5million Dalasi (€36,000) for Dr Touray and 1million 500 Dalasi for Ms Bojang Sissoho, as well as a surety with a landed property. Both human rights defenders are due to appear before the court on 3 November 2010.
Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho are facing charges for theft, for the alleged embezzlement of €30,000 of GAMCOTRAP funding. In May 2010, the Office of the President set up a commission of inquiry to investigate GAMCOTRAP's use of its funding. The Commission concluded that the allegation of misappropriation of funds were unfounded. However, shortly after publication of the findings, members of the commission were allegedly dismissed and a second commission of inquiry was set up and has yet to present its conclusions.
Dr Isatou Touray is the executive director of The Gambia Committee on traditional practices affecting the health of women and children (GAMCOTRAP), an organisation working in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and children. Amie Bojang-Sissoho is the programme coordinator of GAMCOTRAP. The Government’s animosity towards organisations working in the area of women's rights, and in particular female genital mutilation (FGM), was made clear in 1999 when the President publicly stated that he could not guarantee the safety of activists who campaign against FGM.
Front Line in pleased that Dr Isatou Touray and Ms Amie Bojang-Sissoho have been released on bail, despite the exorbitant amount at which it was set. Front line calls on the Gambian authorities to ensure that both human rights defenders receive a fair trial as stipulated under international law.
Les défenseuses des droits humains Dr Isatou Touray et Mme Amie Bojang-Sissoho ont été arrêtées et sont actuellement détenues à la prison centrale d’état, Mile Two, où elles attendent leur procès qui aura lieu le 20 octobre 2010. Dr Isatou Touray est Directrice Exécutive du Gambia Committee on traditional practices affecting the health of women and children – GAMCOTRAP (comité gambien sur les pratiques traditionnelles qui affectent la santé des femmes et des enfants), une organisation qui travaille dans le domaine de la santé sexuelle et reproductive et les droits des femmes et des enfants. Amie Bojang-Sissoho est Coordinatrice des Programmes de GAMCOTRAP.
Le 11 octobre 2010, Dr Touray et Mme Bojang-Sissoho ont été convoquées par un agent de l’Agence Nationale des Renseignements (National Intelligence Agency -NIA), pour une rencontre avec des agents des relations publiques de l’Agence Nationale contre la Drogue. Une fois sur place, cependant, elles ont été arrêtées et placées en détention préventive un jour avant d’être transférées à la Prison Centrale Mile Two.
Elles ont comparu devant des magistrats de la Cour de Banjul le 12 octobre. Elles ont été placées en détention préventive par le magistrat principal Emmanuel Nkea. Bien qu’elles soient accusées d’une infraction pour laquelle elles pourraient être libérées sous caution et en dépit de l’assurance qu’elles ne s’enfuiraient pas, le magistrat a rejeté la libération sous caution demandée par les avocats des deux femmes.
Le procureur de la police, le commissaire de police Tijan Badjie, s’est opposé à la libération sous caution car l’enquête de la police est toujours en cours et que libérer les accusées revenait à compromettre l’enquête. Elles doivent comparaître le 20 octobre 2010.
Isatou Touray et Amie Bojang-Sissoho sont détenues en attendant la fin d’une enquête pour le détournement de 30 000€ dans les fonds du GAMCOTRAP. En mai 2010, le Cabinet du Président a créé une commission d’enquête sur l’utilisation des fonds du GAMCOTRAP.
La commission a conclu que les accusations de détournement de fonds étaient infondées. Cependant, peu de temps après la publication des conclusions, les membres de la commission auraient été renvoyés et une seconde commission d’enquête a été mise en place et doit présenter ses conclusions.
L’animosité du gouvernement contre les organisations qui travaillent contre la mutilation génitale féminine (MGF) est claire depuis 1999, lorsque le Président a publiquement déclaré qu’il ne peut garantir la sécurité des activistes qui militent contre les MGF. Suite à cette annonce, une directive présidentielle datant de 1999 a été adressée au Directeur de Radio Television Gambia, interdisant la diffusion de messages personnels opposés au MGF ou qui font référence aux risques médicaux qu’elles entraînent. A cette époque, GAMCOTRAP était la première organisation de la société civile à répondre à cette directive à travers une lettre ouverte adressée au Président.
GAMCOTRAP poursuivit sont travail et est l’une des principales organisations militant en faveur de la fin des MGF, et ce malgré l’opposition du gouvernement à l’élimination de telles pratiques au motif qu’elles font partie de l’Islam. En effet, Mme Isatou Touray a été nommée « Gambienne de l’année » en 2008, par le magasine News and Report Weekly, pour son travail contre les MGF et pour la promotion des droits des femmes et des enfants. Mme Touray est aussi membre du conseil de Women Living Under Muslim Laws – WLUML(Femmes vivant sous la loi Musulmane), depuis 2 ans et, elle et Amie Bojang-Sissoho travaillent activement dans ce réseau depuis plus de 10 ans.
GAMCOTRAP a été crée en 1984 après la conférence de Dakar où les femmes africaines avaient débattu des questions qui affectent leurs droits, telles que les pratiques traditionnelles nuisibles. GAMCOTRAP milite contre les pratiques traditionnelles nuisibles qui touchent la santé des femmes et des enfants, et notamment des fillettes.
Front Line et l’Observatoire sont préoccupées par la détention de Dr Touray et de Mme Bojang-Sissoho et par la décision de la Cour de refuser la liberté sous caution.
