Police dispersed the mostly peaceful protest and detained other opposition party demonstrators including Fatoumata Jawara, the president of the party’s female youth wing, who is believed to be suffering from serious injuries, Amnesty said.
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Dismayed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said he is deeply concerned about the apparent use of excessive force and the arrest and detention of peaceful demonstrators.
The rights group, along with the other activists, has called for an inquiry into the death of Solo Sandeng. His death sparked further protest on Saturday after his party’s leadership resolved to demand justice for their fallen colleague.
According to information received by Amnesty International, Solo Sandeng, the National Organizing Secretary of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), died in detention shortly after his arrest for participating in a peaceful protest.
There has been no comment yet from the Gambian government.
“Solo Sandeng dedicated many years of his life to politics in Gambia and was previously arrested in 2013 for his political activities”, Mahtani said.
“The tragic death in detention of Solo Sandeng must leave no space for impunity”.
“The UN said the authorities in Gambia should conduct “a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances that led to their death while under state custody”.
Gambian security forces armed with assault rifles fired tear gas at the protesters, according to eyewitnesses.
Displaying slogans such as “We Need Proper Electoral Reforms”, the protesters voiced concern over the country’s political environment which they said was skewed in the favour of the regime.
The protest came days after the UDP filed a lawsuit against the state for keeping the chairman of the electoral commission in power long after his mandate expired, alleging he was also a Jammeh ally in a supposedly neutral position. Opposition parties and pro-democracy groups are demanding political and electoral reforms.
A military officer and former wrestler, Jammeh has ruled the west African country since he seized power in a coup in 1994, and is regularly accused of human rights abuses.
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Gambia’s killer President Yahya Jammeh Sunday issued a fresh threat to stop by any means, anyone who wishes to go against his calamitous regime.
