The European Parliament has passed a resolution expressing concern over the “rapidly-worsening security and human rights situation in the Gambia.” It called on EU and its member states to consider freezing all non-humanitarian assistance to the Gambia government and imposing travel bans or other targeted sanctions on officials responsible for serious human rights abuses.
Find below a full text of the European Parliament’s resolution:
Parliament expresses its deep concern about the rapidly-worsening security and human rights situation in The Gambia, deplores the attacks of 14 and 16 April 2016 against peaceful demonstrators, and calls for the immediate release of all protestors arrested during this demonstration for electoral reform ahead of presidential elections scheduled for December 2016. It also calls for swift and independent investigations into these events, and into the reported death in custody of opposition activist Solo Sandeng, a prominent leader in the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).
Parliament firmly condemns the forced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture, and other human rights violations targeting dissenting voices against the government of President Yahya Jammeh, such as journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents and critics, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
While the international community should actively monitor the December elections, the EU and its member states should consider freezing all non-humanitarian assistance to the government of The Gambia and imposing travel bans or other targeted sanctions on officials responsible for serious human rights abuses, adds the resolution.
Ends
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