Combined Report on the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Initial Report Under the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa (1994 AND 2018).
On the 12th and 13th December 2019, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in fulfilment of its mandate and functions under the National Human Rights Commission Act 2017, undertook monitoring visits to places of detention. The Commission visited Mile II Central Prison, Old Jeshwang Prisons and Juvenile Wing, Janjangbureh Prisons, Kairaba Police Station, Serrekunda Police Station, Banjul Police Station, Janjangbureh Police Station and Brikamaba Police Station. The monitoring visits provided the Commission the opportunity to appreciate the conditions of these places of detention, constraints and challenges of the prison authorities, and the concerns of the inmates. Through the visits, the Commission was able to evaluate the extent of compliance with established laws and international standards on the treatment of inmates.
This report captures the visit of the Commission to Mile II Prison, Janjanbureh Prison, Jeshwang Prison and selected police detention facilities across the country. during these visits, the Commission observed that the conditions of all the prisons and police stations did not live up to international human rights norms and standards relating to the rights of detainees and prisoners. The Commission received complaints on various aspects from prisoners and detainees dealing with issues of prolonged detention in remand, legal representation and overall conditions of detention. This was followed by inspection of the sanitary and detention facilities. The Commission noticed that accommodation, limited office spaces and lack of vehicles were major problems for prison and police officers. While the Commission observed many challenges in the prisons and police detention facilities, it did not receive complaints of allegations of torture, use of inhumane means of restraint and use of solitary confinement. The constitutional limit of 72 hours’ detention without trial all police officers the Commission met.
It can be recalled that the NHRC, the Gambia Police Force, Ministry of Interior, TANGO and the Gambia Bar Association jointly investigated allegations of assault/torture against the Commander of Anti-Crime Unit, Deputy Commissioner Gorgi Mboob. The joint panel received testimonies from 17 witnesses from the 17th August to 29 August 2020.
