Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia – Prominent Gambian activist Madi Jobarteh was tear-gassed by police on Monday as security forces moved to disperse crowds gathered outside the Kanifing Magistrate’s Court during the appearance of 16 protesters arrested last Friday.
Jobarteh, who collapsed after the incident, is currently receiving treatment at Westfield Clinic, according to reports. He had been at the court premises to show solidarity with the detained protesters and to appeal for restraint as tensions mounted between security forces and demonstrators.
His organization, the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ), was among the civil society groups – including Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) and Team Gom Sa Bopa – that organized Friday’s protest against the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) controversial decision to impose a D50 per 1GB minimum price floor on mobile data. The groups argue that the measure is “anti-competitive” and “unfair to ordinary Gambians.”
During Friday’s protest at PURA headquarters, Jobarteh was seen in a heated exchange with the police field commander, urging officers to respect the demonstrators’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly. “There is no clash between us. You just have to recognize these are citizens,” he told police. “It is our duty to hold PURA to account as a public institution. So all I want to plead with you is, let us give us protection.”
Witnesses say he repeated similar pleas at the court on Monday before police fired tear gas into the crowd chanting slogans demanding the release of the 16 protesters.
In a statement, GALA condemned what it called “the Gambian government’s egregious abuse of power and blatant disregard for the rule of law.” The group said Jobarteh’s exposure to tear gas “exemplifies the government’s repression of dissent” and called for urgent solidarity.
“We demand the immediate condemnation of the Gambian government’s excessive use of force, accountability and justice for Uncle Madi Jobarteh, and respect for human rights and the rule of law,” the statement read.
The case of the 16 protesters, charged with unlawful assembly, has further fueled public anger, with civil society organizations warning that the government’s hardline response risks deepening mistrust between citizens and state institutions.
