Charges brought against human rights defender Madi Jobarteh
On 29 July 2020, human rights defender Madi Jobarteh received information that he was under surveillance by agents of the State Intelligence Services (SIS).
On 10 July 2020, the Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force dropped the charges of "false information and broadcasting” brought against human rights defender Madi Jobarteh.
On 30 June 2020, human rights defender Madi Jobarteh was charged with "false information and broadcasting” in accordance with Section 181A (1) of the Gambian criminal code. If found guilty, he could face between six months to five years’ imprisonment, or a fine ranging between 500 Ghambian Dalasis (approximately 9 euros) and 50,000 Ghambian Dalasis (approximately 860 euros).
Madi Jorbarteh is a human rights defender and focuses on promoting democracy and human rights in The Gambia. He is the former executive director of the Association of Non-Governmental Organizations in The Gambia (TANGO), and is also a member of the Foundation for Legal Aid Research and Empowerment (FLARE). The defender currently acts as the country representive for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.
On 29 July 2020, human rights defender Madi Jobarteh received information that he was under surveillance by agents of the State Intelligence Services (SIS). The information came from a social media post stating that he and five other people were being watched because the government considered them as security threats. According to the social media post, the surveillance included of their vehicles and their communication devices while it also warned that state agents would try to plant illegal drugs in their vehicles.
On the same day, Madi Jobarteh received a voice note on Whatsapp from a man who claimed to be an intelligence agent. He reported that the director of the SIS had organized a meeting, listing persons that would be targeted and deployed a team to watch them. Even though the alleged intelligence agent was not at the meeting, he reported being informed of the list of persons targeted and shared it with Madi Jobarteh. The list includes twenty people, some of whom are political activists, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders. The person claiming to be the intelligence agent alleged that the SIS director was the person who ordered the arrest of the defender on 30 June 2020 and the charges of "false information and broadcasting” against him.
On 10 July 2020, the Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force dropped the charges of "false information and broadcasting” brought against human rights defender Madi Jobarteh.
On 30 June 2020, human rights defender Madi Jobarteh was charged with "false information and broadcasting” in accordance with Section 181A (1) of the Gambian criminal code. If found guilty, he could face between six months to five years’ imprisonment, or a fine ranging between 500 Ghambian Dalasis (approximately 9 euros) and 50,000 Ghambian Dalasis (approximately 860 euros).
Madi Jobarteh is a human rights defender and focuses on promoting democracy and human rights in The Gambia. He is the former executive director of the Association of Non-Governmental Organizations in The Gambia (TANGO), and is also a member of the Foundation for Legal Aid Research and Empowerment (FLARE). The defender currently acts as the country representive for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.
On 30 June, Madi Jobarteh was instructed to present himself at the Kairaba police station in Serrekunda to answer some questions. The request was in relation to an interview he gave to a media outlet during a Black Lives Matter demonstration he had organised on 27 June in Serrekunda, in front of the U.S. Embassy. During the interview, he criticized the government's inaction in investigating the deaths of Haruna Jatta, Ousman Darboe and Kebba Secka, three citizens reportedly killed by Gambian police officers between June 2017 and July 2019.
Haruna Jatta was allegedly killed by members of the ECOMIG Forces during a peaceful protest in Kanilai in June 2017, whilst Ousman Darboe was reportedly tortured to death in June 2019 by officers at the Anti-Crime Unit while he was in their custody in Bijilo. According to a press release issued by the Gambia Police Force, Kebba Secka, a student of the University of The Gambia, was stabbed to death in July 2019 and the identified suspect was an officer of the Gambia Police Force.
In the office of the Deputy Commissioner Pateh Bah at Kairaba police station, the human rights defender was asked to write a statement retracting the comments he made during the interview. After writing the statement, the defender was arrested and charged with "false information and broadcasting” in accordance with Section 181A (1) of the criminal code.
On the same day, Madi Jobarteh was released on bail and asked to report to the police station the following day. On 2 July, the defender was instructed to report to Kairaba police station again, but was then directed to the prosecutor’s office at Kanifing police station. He is due to report there on 6 July again. A date is yet to be scheduled for his hearing.
Front Line Defenders is seriously concerned by the arbitrary arrest of Madi Jobarteh and the charges brought against him. It believes that he has been targeted solely for his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities and exercising the right to freedom of expression.
