By Alhagie Jobe
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has urged the Gambian authorities to investigate the death of another member of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and the accusations that detainees are deprived of medical care. The victim Ebrima (Solo) Krummah, a member of the opposition United Democratic Party died Saturday August, 20 2016 at the Edward Francis’s Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul after undergoing an unsuccessful operation while under state custody. He was the UDP deputy chairman for Sandu Constituency and was arrested since May, 9 2016 and put on trial for showing solidarity with detained comrades of his party.
This is the second UDP member to have died under state custody following April’s arrests against peaceful opposition demonstrators. In April, Solo Sandeng was arrested and died in state custody following severe torture he went through in the hands of the notorious state agents.
“We urge the authorities to investigate the death in State custody of Mr. Sandeng and Mr. Krummah as well as allegations that detainees are denied access to medical care” says Cécile Pouilly, spokesperson of the High Commissioner in a press briefing note release on Tuesday on the situations in Iraq, Israel-OPT, The Gambia and Mauritania released.
“We deplore the reported death in custody of Ebrima Solo Kurumah, a member of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), last Saturday.According to information we have received, Mr. Krummah passed away after he was taken to hospital for a surgical operation. He had allegedly been denied medical help on several occasions while in detention. Mr. Krummah was among the 30 members of the main opposition party sentenced to three years’ imprisonment last July, following their participation in peaceful demonstrations to call for electoral reform and to protest against the death in State custody of the Chairman of the UDP youth wing, Solo Sandeng.Other detainees have also reportedly been denied medical care in recent months.We urge the authorities to investigate the death in State custody of Mr. Sandeng and Mr. Krummah as well as allegations that detainees are denied access to medical care”.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the United States also expressed ‘deep concern’ by the death of Ebrima Solo Krummah and said it remained troubled by reports of the Gambian government’s continued mistreatment of detained opposition figures, as evidenced by recent deaths and allegations of torture.
The United States further urge the government of The Gambia to cease its sustained crackdown on political opposition members and supporters, and to respect the rights of all citizens to freedoms of expression and association without fear of retribution.
