Dakar - Gambian security forces have detained without charge around 30 relatives of people suspected to be involved in a failed December coup, and should release or charge them, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.
The human rights watchdog said the detainees, including a minor, have been held for more than two weeks and those who asked about their whereabouts had been threatened with arrest.
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty's deputy regional director, said the arrests violate the West African nation's constitution, which states nobody can be held for more than 72 hours without trial, as well as regional and international human rights law.
“If the Gambian authorities want justice, they should either charge people with recognisable offences or release them immediately. Keeping so many people detained arbitrarily would be more about instilling fear in the country than pursuing justice,” Cockburn said in a statement.
Gambian officials were not immediately available for comment.
Gunmen attempted to storm the presidential palace in the beachside capital of Banjul overnight on Dec. 30 while President Yahya Jammeh was abroad, but were repelled by guards.
Jammeh, 49, took power in a 1994 coup and since then has stifled dissent in his impoverished country of 1.9 million. He has faced increasing criticism from abroad over issues ranging from human rights to his claim he can cure AIDS.
He drew international condemnation in 2012 for suddenly executing nine people being held in prison.
Amnesty International said it called on Jammeh not to use the coup as justification for a clampdown on dissenters.
Last week Jammeh said the Gambian authorities were willing to work closely with the United Nations to investigate the events of December 30.
Reuters