By Ebrima Mbaye
The Solo Sandeng Foundation has issued a scathing condemnation of the recent arrests of dozens of young Gambians who participated in a peaceful demonstration against the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) controversial decision to impose a price floor on internet tariffs. The arrests, which the Foundation labeled “disturbing and unacceptable,” have sparked renewed concerns about the state of civil liberties in The Gambia.
In a strongly worded statement released on Saturday, the Foundation criticized the detention of 19 protesters on Friday, August 22, and an additional four on Saturday, August 23, following their peaceful gathering at PURA’s headquarters. The protesters were voicing dissent over the tariff policy, which critics argue favors telecommunications companies at the expense of ordinary citizens. The Foundation emphasized that the demonstration involved no procession or public sound system, making the arrests a direct affront to constitutional protections.
“These young Gambians were exercising their fundamental rights as enshrined in Section 25 of the 1997 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly, speech, and expression,” the Foundation stated. “The arrests raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the continued restriction of civil liberties in our country.”
The Foundation invoked the memory of its namesake, Solo Sandeng, a political activist murdered in 2016 after being arrested for leading a peaceful protest demanding electoral reform. “It is both disturbing and unacceptable that a decade after his brutal killing, young people in this country are still being arrested for exercising the very rights he died defending,” the statement read, drawing a poignant parallel between past and present struggles for democratic freedoms.
The Foundation demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of all detained protesters and called for a thorough investigation into PURA’s tariff decision, which has drawn widespread public criticism. “The Gambia cannot move forward if it continues to criminalize dissent and conceal public interest information,” the statement warned, urging authorities to uphold democratic principles.
At Kotu Police Station, detainees including Gallas Ceesay, Lamin Sey, Ansoumana Touray, and Lamin FM Marigo have rejected bail conditions set by the police, insisting on their right to unconditional release. Bakary Jammeh, however, accepted the bail offer. At other stations, prominent activists such as Ali Cham, known as ‘Killer Ace,’ Flex Dan, and others have similarly refused conditional bail, a move observers describe as a bold act of defiance from within detention cells. Their refusal underscores a growing frustration with what many perceive as heavy-handed tactics to suppress dissent.
The Solo Sandeng Foundation’s statement also highlighted the broader implications of the arrests, accusing authorities of undermining the democratic progress The Gambia has made since the end of Yahya Jammeh’s regime in 2017. The Foundation called for a renewed commitment to protecting citizens’ rights to free expression and assembly, warning that continued restrictions could erode public trust in governance.
“We will continue to defend the right of every Gambian to speak truth to power, peacefully, boldly, and without fear,” the Foundation declared. “Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done.”
The arrests have sparked outrage among civil society groups and ordinary citizens, with many taking to social media to demand the release of the detainees. The controversy surrounding PURA’s tariff policy has further fueled public discontent, with critics arguing that it places an undue financial burden on Gambians already grappling with economic challenges.
As the situation unfolds, the Solo Sandeng Foundation has vowed to monitor developments closely and continue advocating for the rights of the detained protesters. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of democratic gains in The Gambia and the ongoing struggle to ensure that the sacrifices of activists like Solo Sandeng are not in vain.
