Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Gambian government has clarified that no female inmate met the criteria for a presidential pardon granted last week by President Adama Barrow, which saw the release of 56 prisoners from the Mile Two State Central Prison.
The issue was raised during a government press conference on Thursday, where journalists questioned why all beneficiaries of the president’s constitutional prerogative of mercy were male.
Responding to the concerns, Information and Media Broadcast Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay denied any discrimination against female inmates, insisting that the pardons followed a transparent and structured process guided by established criteria.
“The prerogative to pardon prisoners is the sole discretion of the president, as granted by the constitution,” Dr. Ceesay said. “This follows a very transparent and rigorous process involving the Prerogative of Mercy Committee and a supporting Prisoners’ Committee that assess inmates based on clearly defined guidelines.”
He explained that the criteria for pardon include factors such as inmates’ behavior while in custody, the nature of their offenses, the length of time already served, and the remaining portion of their sentences.
Dr. Ceesay noted that women make up a relatively small proportion of the prison population and that most female inmates are serving sentences for serious offenses, making them less likely to qualify under the current pardon guidelines.
“It is not a systematic discrimination to stop women from benefiting from the pardons,” he said. “It’s just that women have not been qualifying for the pardons as set by the criteria and the guidelines.”
The minister added that the majority of those pardoned were Gambian nationals, although a few foreign inmates, including citizens of Sierra Leone, Guinea-Conakry, and Senegal, were also among the beneficiaries. He said foreign nationals granted pardons are expected to be deported to their home countries.
Dr. Ceesay emphasized that while the president holds the constitutional authority to grant pardons, his decisions are guided by recommendations from the Prerogative of Mercy Committee, which includes religious leaders and the Attorney General, as well as the operational Prisoners’ Committee.
He said the process is designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and respect for the rule of law.
