Gambian court sentences Maryland woman to three years

A Gambian court has sentenced a Maryland woman to three years in prison after government officials arrested her during an anti-government protest in April, her husband confirmed yesterday. U.S. lawmakers and human rights groups have condemned the conviction that comes as Gambia’s ruling party cracks down on suspected dissidents and protesters ahead of the December presidential elections.

Ebrima Jawara said he heard of his wife’s sentence from news reports and a relative in Gambia. Police there arrested Fanta Darboe Jawara, a naturalized U.S. citizen, during a demonstration against Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on April 16. The 45-year-old mother of two had remained in jail for nearly 100 days before the Gambian court on Wednesday sentenced her and 18 others. Fanta’s co-defendants included her uncle, Ousainou Darboe, a human rights lawyer and leader of Gambia’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). They faced similar charges of unlawful assembly and other related counts.

Ebrima said his wife had been visiting her homeland and was only a bystander at the protest. A partial transcript of the proceeding revealed the court did not find Fanta guilty but still sentenced her, since she didn’t defend herself against the charges.

“The evidence was that my wife wasn’t part of it,” Ebrima said in an email, explaining Fanta did not defend herself because she had no lawyer.

The U.S. State Department had earlier expressed concern over Fanta’s arrest. The U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a statement a consular officer visited Fanta more than 10 times during her time in jail and attended her hearing. It called on Gambia “to uphold its international human rights obligations, including the right to peaceful assembly.”

U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski and Reps. Chris Van Hollen and John Delaney, all Democrats from Maryland, said yesterday in a joint statement Fanta’s conviction violates Gambia’s constitution and called for her release.

“She has done nothing wrong and this outcome is completely unacceptable,” the statement said. “We are in touch with the State Department to learn more about the appeals process in The Gambia, and are committed to doing our part to ensure Mrs. Jawara’s timely release and return to her husband and children in Maryland.”

Since Gambia’s last election in 2011, human right groups have accused Jammeh’s administration of enforcing repressive laws, arresting suspected opposition members, and implementing widespread surveillance.

The country has experienced a spike in protests against the president in recent months as the December presidential elections draw near. Jammeh has served as the country’s president since 1994. Officials from the opposing UDP accused the government of arresting nearly five-dozen people during protests in mid-April. Stephen Cockburn, Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa director, said in a written statement that more than 25 other dissidents remain in detention as they await trials relating to the April and May protests.

“With just five months before elections are due to be held, the Gambian authorities should take urgent measures to ensure that people can express themselves without fear of reprisals,” Cockburn said. “If they do not, (the Economic Community of West African States) and the international community should not stand idly by.”