Africa-Press – Gambia. Civil society organizations have condemned the arrest and prosecution of 44 young Gambians following a protest against the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) controversial decision to impose a D50 minimum tariff per gigabyte of mobile data.
In a joint statement delivered on Tuesday, Fatou Ndour, Human Rights Monitoring Officer at the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFCRJ), spoke on behalf of the coalition, which includes Team Gom Sa Bopa and Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA).
The coalition recalled that on August 22, 2025, the three groups organized a peaceful demonstration at PURA’s car park in Banjul to protest what they described as an “unjust and prohibitive” tariff hike that increased internet costs by up to 275 percent, particularly affecting students and small businesses.
According to the groups, the protest was forcibly dispersed by riot police, leading to the arrest of 19 demonstrators on August 23. Four others were later detained at Westfield while expressing solidarity with those arrested.
On August 25, all 23 were arraigned before Magistrate Touray and charged under Section 5(5) of the Public Order Act for “Control of Procession.” They pleaded not guilty. That same day, an additional 21 young people were arrested during protests against what they described as the unlawful remand of their colleagues at Mile 2 Central Prison.
The coalition criticized the authorities for failing to respect constitutional safeguards, noting that the accused were not brought before a court within 72 hours as required by Section 19 of The Gambia’s 1997 Constitution.
“It’s important to note that the accused were not arraigned in court within 72 hours as stipulated by section 19 of the Gambia’s 1997 Constitution. In addition to this, the reaction by the youth was prompted by the decision to remand some 23 youths in Mile 2 for bailable offences, which can only be described as a misdemeanor at worst,” Ndour stated
She added, “We strongly believe this punishment contradicts the tenets of common law, which presumes every accused person is innocent before being proven guilty. Remanding 23 youths in Mile 2 for over 3 days when they have never been convicted of any crime hints that their right to liberty was infringed, something we consider a serious lapse in the state’s duty of care,” she said.
The groups argue that all 44 detainees are now facing charges of unlawful possession, unlawful assembly, and idle loitering—accusations they believe amount to political persecution.
They further accused the state of double standards, pointing out that public officials implicated in corruption and audit scandals have not faced prosecution, while young citizens demanding accountability are criminalized.
“We recall that similar gatherings and political assemblies have been allowed to proceed without permits or interference, highlighting a troubling double standard in the enforcement of the law. Such inconsistency and bias threaten national unity, peace, and security.”
The coalition issued the following demands:
Immediate and unconditional dropping of all charges against the 44 youths.
Respect for the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest.
An independent review of PURA’s operations and greater accountability to citizens.
Equal application of the law, including action against public officials accused of corruption.
“The arrests and persecution of 44 young Gambians protesting against PURA’s data floor price represent more than just a crackdown on a single demonstration,” Ndour concluded. “These actions pose serious dangers to The Gambia’s democracy, civic space, and accountability systems.”
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