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Gambia News : Gambia frees witch-hunt detainees
More than 300 people held in a government-backed witchhunt in Gambia
have been released without charge after several detainees fell
seriously ill, a senior police source said Monday.
Amnesty
International and anonymous police sources said as many as 1,000 people
have been snatched by "witch hunters" backed by armed men carrying out
orders from the Gambian authorities.
They are forced to drink
hallucinogen concoctions which caused some detainees to develop
intestinal and kidney problems. Police sources say at least two people
have died after drinking the potions.
"A total number of 312
people who were abducted by the so-called witch doctors early last
month have been released in the early hours of Sunday morning without
any charges levied against them," a senior police source, who preferred
not to be named, told AFP Monday.
Their release came after five
victims were admitted at various health facilities in Gambia suffering
from kidney and stomach problems.
"Five out of those abducted are
currently in hospital while others are seriously ill, and this prompted
the authorities to release the remaining abductees before the situation
worsens", the police source said.
Those released are mainly men and women aged 40 to 60. They were all arrested in early March.
In
recent years it has increasingly come under fire over its human rights
record. Despite an international and domestic outcry over the witch
hunts, the government has not responded to the allegations.
Observers
say Jammeh invited Guinean witch hunters into Gambia after suspecting
witchcraft in the death of an aunt earlier this year.
3402 times read
- dont use ur power fight us cuz we dont want to promote cermetry,jammeh been abusing killing raping our people, in our own country we been neglected,
where should we turn to,what life is for
open ur eyes and stop killing our people
we are fed of u
(Posted on April 10, 2009, 1:56 AM haikm)
- Now that the so called witch cases in Gambian name is over, is justice going to stand to investigate those killed jailed and harassed or what? Who is responsible for all this acts of brutality? Is it the Gambian president? No no had to believe.
(Posted on April 9, 2009, 6:51 PM mr Janneh)
- I say to the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, just see what happened to the former rebels in Sierra Leone. They finally faced justice. To hell with this continued violation of rights, arbitrary arrests. We need to stand up to this government.
(Posted on April 9, 2009, 3:23 AM Jollof)
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