Human Lives Human Rights: Ahead of the trial of Ousman Sonko, former Interior Minister of Gambia, before the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, Switzerland, for alleged crimes against humanity committed between 2000 and 2016 under former President Yahya Jammeh, human rights advocates emphasize the critical importance of accountability.
“Sonko served as Interior Minister for Gambia during a dark period marked by egregious crimes, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and sexual violence. Survivors and families of victims who endured the brutality of Jammeh’s regime demand justice. Sonko must be held accountable.
“Universal jurisdiction serves as a vital tool in the fight against impunity. States must prosecute or extradite perpetrators of international crimes, leaving them with no refuge.
“Rights groups commend Switzerland’s commitment to prosecuting Sonko and urge the Federal Criminal Court to ensure that victims have robust access to proceedings and the opportunity to participate in the trial.
“The Gambian government must also expedite the investigation and prosecution of individuals implicated in human rights violations by the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC). Victims and their families deserve justice, truth, and reparations.”
Background:
Ousman Sonko, who served as Gambia’s Interior Minister from 2006 to 2016, faces charges of crimes against humanity after his arrest in Switzerland in January 2017 under the principle of universal jurisdiction. The trial commences on January 8, 2023.
In November 2021, the TRRC recommended the prosecution of 70 officials, including Sonko, and in May 2023, the Gambian government announced an implementation plan, including the establishment of a hybrid court.
Sonko fled Gambia in 2016, shortly before the end of Jammeh’s regime, and was apprehended following evidence presented by NGOs implicating him in killings, rape, and torture.
