Arrested AI Officials, Journalist Released on Bail

The two officials of Amnesty International, Mrs. Tania Bernath, Acting Director African Branch, Mr. Ayobele Ameen, the Campaign Officer for The Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone and Yaya Dampha, a local journalist with Foroyaa newspaper who were arrested on Saturday in Basse on suspicion of spying, were released on bail yesterday evening, this paper has been reliably informed.

A highly placed source indicated that their bail was set at D100,000.00 (One hundred thousand dalasis) each with one Gambian as surety and the two foreign nationals had to deposit their passports and are to report back to the police by 9.am today.

The three were arrested in Basse on Saturday and later transferred to the Police headquarters in Banjul on Sunday for investigation.

The two Amnesty International officials are said to have come to The Gambia on 2nd October and conducted a workshop for NGOs, journalists and Human Right activists on human rights issues from 4th to 5th October. The group later left Banjul for Fatoto only to be arrested on their way.

According to informed sources, the visitors wanted to visit detained opposition UDP councilor for Cape Point ward, Ousman Rambo Jatta, who has been in detention since last year.