Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Gambia’s president once said he would govern the country for a billion years if God willed it. But voters may deliver an upset Thursday after years of economic hardship that have pushed thousands of young people to attempt the perilous Mediterranean crossing to Europe. Yahya …
Read More »Gambia’s first female presidential candidate bows out
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The Gambia’s first ever female presidential candidate has withdrawn from the race and will endorse the single opposition candidate challenging President Yahya Jammeh, she said Saturday. In a statement sent to AFP, Isatou Touray said she was dropping out of the contest “so as to …
Read More »Why Gambia has joined list of African nations to quit ICC
Dakar, Senegal | AFP | The Gambia has become the latest African nation to announce its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, accusing the war crimes tribunal of “persecuting” Africans. The shock move announced late Tuesday was condemned by rights groups as a “drastic blow” for victims of serious crimes …
Read More »What happens to Ongwen, Bemba cases if African countries pull out of ICC?
Five questions and answers on the ICC The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | The Gambia has become the third country in just a matter of weeks to announce it plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The shock announcement will be a personal blow to the tribunal’s chief …
Read More »Gambia announces withdrawal from International Criminal Court
Gambia’s government has joined South Africa and Burundi in announcing they are withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the Hague-based tribunal of prosecuting only Africans and ignoring the “war crimes” of Western countries. “The Government of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia hereby informs all and sundry, the withdrawal …
Read More »Gambia bans music and dancing during Ramadan
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The Gambia has banned music, dancing and drumming during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on pain of being arrested — and people are complying, police said Monday. Ordinary citizens in the small west African country — whose president declared it an Islamic state in …
Read More »Senior Gambian opposition figure dies in custody
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | A senior figure in Gambia’s main opposition has died in custody after leading a protest for electoral reform and the resignation of strongman President Yahya Jammeh, his party and a rights group said Saturday. Solo Sandeng, who had recently been promoted to organising secretary of …
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