Gambia: Coup suspect’s teenage son held incommunicado

Amnesty International Calls for Yusupha Lowe to be Release

Yusupha Lowe, the 16 year old son of Bai Lowe, a man accused of being involved in the 30 December 2014 attempted coup in Gambia, was arrested on 1 January. Initial reports indicated that he was being held at the National Intelligence Agency headquarters, but credible sources now indicate that he is no longer being held there.

Yusupha Lowe, the 16 year old son of Bai Lowe (who is alleged to have been involved in the attempted coup of 30 December 2014 in Gambia) was arrested together with his 19-year-old uncle, Pa Alieu Lowe and his father’s ex-wife, Jariatou Lowe, on 1 January.

They were taken from Bai Lowe’s residence at around 1:00pm by men in plain clothes claiming to be following presidential orders. A few weeks later, Jariatou Lowe was released without charge. However, Yusupha Lowe and Pa Alieu Lowe remain in incommunicado detention, without being charged and having no access to lawyers or family members.

Initial reports had indicated that Yusupha Lowe was being held at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters in Banjul, Gambia, but credible sources now indicate that he is no longer being held there. His current whereabouts remain unknown and his family is concerned about his safety. Relatives of people suspected to have been involved in the 30 December 2014 coup attempt have been subjected to reprisals by Gambian security forces. It is unclear how many people remain in incommunicado detention.

Amnesty International is concerned about the unlawful detention without charge of Yusupha Lowe and other relatives of the December 2014 coup suspects, well beyond the 72 hour time limit provided in Gambia’s constitution and other human rights laws and treaties.

The Gambian government has refused to acknowledge the detention of Yusupha Lowe and many others and has not provided information on their whereabouts, effectively holding them outside of the protection of the law. This amounts to enforced disappearance, a crime under international law. As their whereabouts remain unknown, they are at a high risk of torture and other abuses.

Please write immediately in English or your own language:  Urging the authorities to immediately reveal the whereabouts of Yusupha Lowe and all other detainees;  Calling on the authorities to promptly charge Yusupha Lowe and all other detainees with an internationally recognizable criminal offense should there be sufficient evidence or else immediately release them;  Calling on the authorities to immediately provide all the people detained in relation to the December 2014 coup attempt access to their families and lawyers;  Urging authorities to ensure that all detainees are not subjected to torture or ill-treatment while in detention.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/AFR27/1710/2015/en/

Ends.

4 Comments

  1. Malang Jarju

    So sad!

  2. Baboucarr Samba

    This heartless socalled president needs to be taken down through whatever means, and fast.

  3. Alimatou Sarr

    Jammeh has indeed reached the bottom. What can one enjoy from holding this young boy?

  4. Jammeh is indeed a very evil person. To detain any innocent person is wrong and undemocratic let a lone a young Boy. Jammeh is vengeful and arrogant.he too will never have a peace of mind. His evil actions against Gambians will always torment him day and night.

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