Gambia issues presidential pardon for 105 prisoners on the occasion of Ashura
Ahmed Salem
The President of the Republic of Gambia, Barrow, issued a presidential pardon for 105 prisoners on the occasion of Ashura Day.
President Adama Barrow today signed a declaration of pardon granting a free pardon to 105 convicts held in Gambian prisons, in commemoration of Ashura.
Amnesty with constitutional powers
The President made this proclamation pursuant to his powers of pardon vested in him under Article 82(1)(a) of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia.
This was done after consultation with the Constitutional Committee established under Article 82(2) of the Constitution. The President personally considered the individual circumstances of each of the 105 beneficiaries and was convinced that those circumstances warranted granting them a free and unconditional pardon.
The beneficiaries of the pardon include 103 men and 2 women, among them Gambian nationals and other nationals who met the assessment and recommendation criteria of the Constitutional Commission.
President Barrow’s decision to commemorate Ashura with this pardon reflects his commitment to the values of mercy, compassion, and restorative justice that are at the heart of this occasion.
The President’s Office expresses its sincere wishes to all beneficiaries and their families, and calls on them to seize this opportunity for full and effective integration into their communities.
