In a statement Friday, the Association of Non-Governmental Organisations said it was “gravely concerned” by police disruption of GALA’s first anniversary commemoration, which it said was approved by the Kanifing Municipal Council.
“The actions of the security forces… represent a troubling pattern that threatens democratic freedoms and civic space in The Gambia,” TANGO stated.
The group said young citizens exercising constitutional rights to assembly, expression, and association were met with arrests and intimidation. It warned that rights guaranteed by the Constitution must be respected “without selective application of the law or intimidation.”
TANGO described the repeated use of the Public Order Act to restrict peaceful civic activities as “deeply concerning,” given The Gambia’s democratic transition and recent history of authoritarian rule.
“It is therefore deeply disturbing that a peaceful commemoration… was once again met with police interference, arrests and intimidation,” the statement read.
The civil society network said the incident is not isolated, citing a “growing trend” of arrests and intimidation of GALA members and other youth activists over governance and accountability protests.
“The continued weaponization of restrictive laws against peaceful citizens goes against both the spirit and recommendations of the TRRC,” TANGO said. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission had documented past abuses and urged reforms to prevent recurrence.
TANGO renewed calls for “immediate review and reform of the Public Order Act,” calling it “outdated and inconsistent” with current democratic aspirations. “Laws that are repeatedly used to suppress peaceful assembly and civic participation have no place in a democratic society,” it stated.
It urged security institutions to “protect citizens and uphold constitutional order, not to undermine fundamental freedoms” and called on the National Assembly to summon authorities over “repeated restrictions on civic freedoms.”
“Peaceful civic engagement and public participation are not threats to national security but essential ingredients for democratic development and accountability,” TANGO stressed.
“The democratic future of our country depends on our collective ability to protect civic space… and ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated,” it concluded.
The 14 GALA members were arraigned Monday and granted D80,000 bail each.
