Police arrest activist Alieu Bah and others

Police have arrested several members of the civil society group Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), including activist Alieu Bah.

Those detained include Kemo Fatty and Omar Saibo Camara, along with journalist Bakary Tamba, who was covering the protest when he was taken into custody.

Police confirmed that all four men are in custody and have been charged with unlawful assembly.

The arrests followed a public gathering organised by GALA to protest the removal of Auditor General Modou Ceesay from office.

Security forces dispersed the crowd and arrested the men shortly afterward.

The detention of Tamba, who was reportedly filming the event, has raised concern among media groups, with calls for his immediate release.

GALA condemned the arrests as an “attack on fundamental freedoms,” while press advocates warned that targeting a journalist for doing his job undermines media independence in the country.

By Adama Makasuba