Rights advocates in The Gambia have accused Information Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay of attempting to delegitimize critical civic voices following his repeated criticisms of Madi Jobarteh and the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSC).
The EFSC was established by Jobarteh in October 2024 and named after Edward Francis Small, a prominent journalist, trade unionist, and human rights activist.
In recent months, Dr. Ceesay and Jobarteh have exchanged comments publicly and on social media, with the minister reportedly questioning the legitimacy of the centre and its founder.
A statement signed by 42 civil society advocates, including former Information Minister and TRRC Executive Secretary Demba Ali Jawo, condemned the attacks. The statement emphasized that civic engagement should be judged by the substance and public value of its work, rather than office size or staffing.
“The questioning of the legitimacy of the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice and, by extension, the credibility of its founder raises serious issues for democratic discourse,” the statement said.
The advocates highlighted Jobarteh’s decades-long experience in governance, human rights, and development work, noting that the centre contributes to public discourse on transparency, rule of law, and accountability. The statement also warned against framing civic accountability efforts solely around administrative form, arguing it risks narrowing civic space and undermining constitutional freedoms.
Civil society actors called for respect for diverse forms of civic engagement, constructive dialogue between government officials and accountability actors, and substantive responses to governance concerns raised in the public interest.
The statement concluded: “The Gambia’s democracy was built by courageous individuals long before institutions were formalized. We must be careful not to rewrite that history or narrow the space for civic action today.”