The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved the establishment of a special tribunal to address crimes committed during the military dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh in Gambia.
The announcement was made on Sunday during a summit of regional leaders in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
This tribunal represents a major step towards justice for victims of Jammeh’s authoritarian regime, which lasted from 1996 to 2017. His rule was marred by arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and widespread human rights abuses, including sexual violence. 
Following his electoral defeat in 2016, Jammeh initially resisted stepping down before fleeing into exile in Equatorial Guinea.
Victims and human rights advocates in Gambia have long called for accountability, culminating in the recommendations of a truth commission in 2021. The commission’s report urged the Gambian government to prosecute perpetrators involved in the egregious violations committed under Jammeh’s administration.
Recent years have seen strides in holding figures from the regime accountable. In May, Switzerland sentenced Jammeh’s former interior minister to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity.
Similarly, in November, a German court convicted Bai Lowe, a former driver for Jammeh’s notorious military unit, of murder and crimes against humanity for his role in the assassination of government critics.
The Gambian Ministry of Justice hailed the decision as a “historic development” and emphasized its significance not just for Gambia but for West Africa and the broader international community.
This tribunal marks a turning point in the fight for justice and serves as a precedent for addressing impunity in the region. It underscores ECOWAS’s commitment to human rights and accountability while offering hope for victims seeking long-overdue redress.
Read More:
