The Gambia - December 2024

On 15 December, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) approved the establishment of a Special Tribunal for The Gambia to prosecute crimes committed under former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule (1994–2017). Legal experts note that ECOWAS approval was crucial as several West African nations lost citizens under Jammeh’s regime, strengthening diplomatic pressure on Equatorial Guinea, where Jammeh has been in exile since 2021, to comply with extradition requests. Under the hybrid system, the tribunal will try international crimes, including crimes against humanity and torture, regardless of their status under Gambian law at the time. Based in The Gambia, it may hold trials elsewhere if needed for practical or security reasons. ECOWAS leaders stressed swift implementation, but key steps—including appointing a special prosecutor and securing funding—remain unresolved.

Sources: X, International Commission of Jurists, The Standard, The Associated Press, The Africa Report