HURIDAC, Network for Human Rights Journalists launches Gambia 2021 presidential election report
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The Human Rights Advancement, Development and Advocacy Centre (HURIDAC) and the Network for Human Rights Journalists, which observed The Gambia 2021 presidential election, Thursday published the report of their research and observations.
The joint report present the situational and context analysis of the election. It took into account The 2021 Gambia electoral context as well as its historical, sociological, political backgrounds.
To develop a human rights perspective, the report creates a critical link between elections and the right to vote, and the role of the media, among other relevant themes.
Mr. Ayodele Ameen, executive director of HURIDAC, stated: “Thc significant link between human rights and election cannot be ignored and the important rights of the Gambian to vote in sustaining democracy needs critical evaluation which the report achieved.”
The report also explores the role of political stakeholders and its impact on the outcome of the presidential election, not neglecting the level playing ground experience in the Gambia for the first time in its long political history.
Mr. Mussa Sheriff, the coordinator of Network Human Rights Journalists (NHRJ), said the report "deepened the understanding of the Gambia political history, party idiosyncrasies as well as the roles of other stakeholders, including the the journalists in the Gambia political landscape”.
The report further documents the freeness and fairness of the election in the pre-election, during and post-election phases with attempt to document human rights violations and abuses in each phase.
Ameen further added that “apart from the post-election period, no record of human rights violations and abuses were reported or documented during the day of the election, but cases of violations of freedom of expression relating to journalists were recorded in the post- election phase”.
The report objectives include working with states to improve the electoral landscape in The Gambia that protects and promotes the human rights of the people.
“The report includes specific recommendations for various stakeholders including investigating the alleged claims of the opposition party to prevent any future occurrence,” said Musa Sheriff.
-0- PANA MSS/RA 31March2022
