Comment by the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, on death sentences in Gambia

Please find below a comment by the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, on death sentences in Gambia:

“We are deeply concerned about the death sentences apparently imposed last week by a military tribunal in Gambia against three people accused of participating in an attempted coup last December. Three people were reportedly also sentenced to life imprisonment during the same trial, which was held in secret, despite provisions in Gambia's Constitution and Armed Forces Law stating that proceedings should be held in public. Serious concerns have also been raised about the fairness of the judicial proceedings, particularly in relation to the provision of adequate legal representation, which is also guaranteed under the Constitution. We hope that the six detainees will be allowed to appeal, as is their right, and we call upon the Gambian Government to maintain its moratorium on the use of the death penalty.”

For more information, please contact Rupert Colville  (+41 22 917 9767 / +41 79 506 10 88/ rcolville@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / +41 79 618 34 30/ cpouilly@ohchr.org).