By: Nyima Sillah
Yahya Sonko, migration activist based in Germany has raised serious concern over police brutality against Gambians living abroad, while calling for urgent intervention from Barrow Administration.
Speaking with the Voice Newspaper on Thursday, Sonko appealed for immediate government intervention following a growing number of police brutality cases involving Gambians living abroad.
The human rights activist warned that without urgent and decisive action from the Gambian government, more innocent lives may be lost, and systemic injustice will continue to go unchallenged.
“The most alarming incident is the fatal shooting of Lamin Touray, a 46-year-old Gambian man residing in Nienburg, Germany. On March 30, 2024, Touray’s partner reportedly called for assistance due to concerns about his mental health. Instead of receiving medical attention or psychological support, Touray was confronted by police officers who ultimately shot and killed him,” he recalled.
“German authorities later concluded that the officers acted within the law, sparking outrage among human rights advocates and members of the Gambian diaspora. This is a clear and disturbing pattern of abuse that cannot be ignored,” the activist added.
He went on to stress that “Gambian lives matter” and the government of The Gambia has a moral and legal duty to protect its citizens, no matter where they reside.
Touray’s case, he said, was not isolated, pointing out that other disturbing examples of police violence against Gambians in Europe involved Saikou Kanteh, who was reportedly subjected to inhumane treatment by German police during deportation proceedings.
“In another shocking event, a video circulated in 2021 showing a naked Gambian refugee in Offenburg being violently restrained by police officers. The man, who was experiencing mental health crisis, was handled with excessive force, drawing widespread condemnation from human rights groups,” he recalled. Sonko decried that, no concrete action was taken to address that incident or offer justice to the victim.
He further stated that, in 2023, reports emerged of a Gambian national allegedly killed by police in Spain, adding that while details surrounding the incident remained unclear, the lack of transparency and accountability continued to frustrate advocates and families seeking justice.
“It is essential for the government to provide legal assistance, psychological counseling, and other forms of support to victims and their families. We also need a dedicated unit or mechanism that focuses on the welfare of Gambians in the diaspora, especially those vulnerable to discrimination and abuse,” Mr. Sonko suggested.
He argued that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’, stressing that it’s time for the Gambian government to stand up, speak out, and act decisively to end the cycle of violence and ensure that the dignity and rights of Gambians are protected everywhere.
