Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

March 11, 2010

The Gambia is a multiparty, democratic republic with an estimated population of 1.86 million. In 2006 President Alhaji Yahya Jammeh was reelected for a third five-year term in an election considered partially free and fair. President Jammeh's party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), continued to dominate the National Assembly after elections held in 2007, which were also considered partially free and fair. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently.

Human rights problems included government complicity in the abduction of citizens; torture and abuse of detainees and prisoners, including political prisoners; poor prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens, including incommunicado detention; denial of due process and prolonged pretrial detention; restrictions on freedom of speech and press; violence against women and girls, including female genital mutilation (FGM); forced child marriage; trafficking in persons; child prostitution; discrimination against homosexual activity; and child labor.

RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:

a.       Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life. For detailed report, please click on the link below:

www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135955m