Gambia executes nine criminals: Report

Gambia has executed nine convicted criminals, the Civil Society Associations reported on Saturday as Amnesty International warned that dozens more on death-row are under imminent threat as the West African nation carries out its first death sentences in 27 years.

President Yaya Jammeh vowed earlier this month to execute all inmates sentenced to death “to ensure that criminals get what they deserve, that is, those who killed are killed and those who deserve to be put away from the society are put away from the society in accordance with the law.”

A government statement issued late Friday night said: “All persons on death row have been tried by the Gambian courts of competent jurisdiction and thereof convicted and sentenced to death in accordance with the law. They have exhausted all their legal rights of appeal as provided by the law.”

Eight men and one woman were removed from their prison cells on Friday night and executed, London-based Amnesty reported, quoting “credible sources.” It said two of those executed are believed to be foreigners from Senegal.

UK deeply concerned

British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said on Saturday he was “deeply concerned” by reports Gambia had executed nine prisoners and was preparing to execute others, Reuters reports. “I am deeply concerned over reports that nine prisoners on death row have been executed. I urge the Gambian authorities to halt any further executions.”