A British tourist was imprisoned by Gambian police for taking photo at Banjul ferry terminal.

A UK resident was arrested on 18 January after she was caught taking a photograph near Banjul ferry terminal.

Monica Njie told the IBTimes UK that she spent two days at the Gambian police headquarters after an officer saw her taking a picture of a woman carrying cooking pots.


"I am a gender activist and wanted to take a photo of the woman for my work," Njie said. "As soon as I had taken the photo, a man told me to hand over my phone and come with him to the National Intelligence Agency's headquarters."

At the NIA headquarters she was told to hand in all her belongings and thrown in a cell. She was not allowed to call her family or see her 18-month-old baby.

"I kept asking them if I could breastfeed my baby. Only after 36 hours had gone by was my sister finally allowed to bring the baby."

After being held for 48 hours, Njie was released. She said that her arrest is directly linked to the civil unrest which has ensued since Jammeh's refusal to hand over power to Adama Barrow.

"The NIA support President Jammeh. They are trying to control everything that goes out in the media."

Sabrina Mahtani, a spokesperson for Amnesty West Africa, said that they had been alerted to other arrests since Jammeh declared a 90-day state of emergency.

President Jammeh's refusal to stand down has led to political turmoil in The GambiaCarlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

She said: "We also documented four young men who were arrested on Wednesday at a shop selling Gambia 'Has Decided T Shirts'. Respect for human rights must not be a casualty of the current political crisis. The declared state of emergency must not be used as a pretext to crack down on fundamental rights."

Jammeh has asked for a deadline for him to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed forces to be extended until 16:00 GMT on Friday. Jammeh's elected successor, Barrow, was sworn in as president at a ceremony in Senegal on Thursday. Troops acting in support of President Barrow have paused their advance.


Source Newsweek