Since last week, Mr. Sabally’s arrest was greeted with state of outpouring condemnation within and outside of the country with many accusing the Barrow administration for attacking freedom of expression.
Yesterday, some youths took to the streets to demand his unconditional release as they accused the Attorney General’s Chambers of planning to charge Mr. Sabally with treason as a tactic to bar him from campaigning in the forthcoming local government election.
“Gambians both here and the Diaspora know that his statement is not treasonous. However, since treason is not bailable, regardless of the lack of merit of any such prosecution, Sabally will be remanded in Mile II throughout the trial.”
“That is the objective of the government. To put Sabally in prison so that he cannot campaign in the upcoming local government elections. This is a well-calculated move by the politicians, aided and abetted by the criminal justice system to silence Sabally,’’ the group said in a statement as they converged at the PIU Headquarters.
“The Police and Attorney General’s Chambers know that they do not have a case against Sabally. However, they intend to restrict his constitutional fundamental rights and freedom, so they filed a bogus ex-parte application to prolong his detention. In Sabally’s case, it is evident that the state institutions given the constitutional mandate to protect and enforce fundamental rights and freedom are the perpetrators, using the law to violate his rights and freedom.’’
