Gambia ALERT: Talk Show Host Detained Beyond Legal Limit of 72 Hours

Alagie Bora Sissawo, a culture and society talk show co-host on Kerr Fatou, is being held by the Gambia Police Force beyond the 72 hour constitutional legal limit for detention following the revocation of his bail on Wednesday, October 4.

In a dictatorship-era-style operation, the police detained Sisawo incommunicado for more than 48 hours with his whereabouts uknown and without having access to his family or a lawyer, over comments he made in reaction to a barrage of remarks by President Adama Barrow that directly threaten the state of press freedom, freedom of expression and the country’s fledgling democracy.

Sisawo, co-host of the ‘Badinya Kaacha’, a talk show about family relations, culture and society, is still being held at by the Anti-Crime Unit of the Gambia Police Force at its headquarters in Banjulinding, 23km from the capital, Banjul, according to Kerr Fatou. Efforts to secure his release by his lawyer are so far unsuccessful, the medium told the Gambia Press Union (GPU), but added that a relative was allowed access to Sisawo this afternoon.

Previous arrest

Sisawo was previously arrested on 13 August, 2023 for criticizing the Gambian President, Adama Barrow, and the Inspector General of Police, Abdoulie Sanyang.

At the time, he told the GPU he was questioned for a cumulative three hours on different dates over comments he made in one of his shows about the president and the police chief and the military coup in Niger. His phone was taken from him by the police for two hours during his three-day detention.

In the wake of the coup in Niger, Sisawo had expressed support for coups against “undemocratic and self-centered African governments” and also condemned the arrest of Senegalese citizens who protested against visiting President Macky Sall, and for saying that the IGP and President Barrow should be ashamed of themselves for arresting the Senegalese protesters, according to media reports.

He was eventually released on police bail without charge on 15 August, 2023.

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The reasons for Sisawo’s re-arrest are unknown. However, it occurred within 24 hours of President Adama Barrow’s declaration that individuals facing charges could be rearrested, even if granted bail by a court of law. The President made this statement during the opening of his party’s regional office in Jarra Soma, some100 km from the capital, Banjul. He also labeled the main opposition party, the United Democratic Party (UDP) as a national security threat.