Former National Intelligence Agency officer Yahya Bajinka has been detained in secret since the 15 April 2007. He is now known to have been tortured, and is being denied medical attention in an attempt to keep his detention secret. His health has deteriorated so badly that without treatment he is likely to die.

Yahya Bajinka's brother, former presidential bodyguard Major Khalipha Bajinka, was accused of involvement in a March 2006 alleged coup plot, and fled the country in July 2006 after an attempt to kill him. The rest of his family were arrested shortly afterwards. Yahya was held incommunicado for two weeks. Three more of his brothers fled the country after they were released.

In April 2007 Yahya Bajinka was arrested without a warrant at his home in the town of Brikama and taken to Mile Two Central Prisons. Since then the authorities have repeatedly denied all knowledge that he had ever been arrested, and gave no reason for his imprisonment. Besides his relationship to alleged coup plotter Khalipha Bajinka, he is thought to have been overheard criticising President Jammeh's style of government.

He was seen for the first time on 22 September 2007, when journalists from the twice-weekly newspaper Foroyaa found him receiving medical attention at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in the capital, Banjul. He was seen at the same hospital a second time by journalists from the same newspaper on 19 February, being escorted by prison wardens and a soldier The journalists noted that his health had worsened dramatically, and believe he had been severely tortured.

Src: Amnesty International