Gambia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Moratorium on executions
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The new Constitution adopted in 1996 retains the death...
- News items in the archive
- 93
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Gambia is classified as Moratorium on executions in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 93 news items on Gambia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- NOVEMBER 27, 2025GambiaDEATH PENALTY
AFRICA - 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
No record shows that the question of Tundu Lissu in Tanzania was raised
MAY 15, 2025GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: SIERRA LEONEAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING BRITISH NATIONAL
Banjul High Court, presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, on May 12, 2025 sentenced Augustine Bangura, a Sierra Leonean national, to death having found him guilty of killing a British national, Shakina Chinedu.
APRIL 17, 2025GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE OVER JAMMEH-ERA KILLING OF FINANCE MINISTER
Gambia's Supreme Court has commuted the death sentence of a government minister convicted of killing the finance minister to life in prison, one of few to be convicted of crimes committed during the 22-year rule of ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh, Reuters report
DECEMBER 20, 2022GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: DRIVER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UPPER RIVER REGION
Justice Landing M. Sanneh, the presiding Judge of the High Court in Basse, in the Upper River Region (URR) has sentenced Bakary Jallow, a driver by profession to death for reportedly killing one Alieu Sanyang, The Point reported on 20 December 2022.
JULY 14, 2022GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: FIVE EX-JAMMEH SPIES SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING ACTIVIST
A Gambian court on 13 July 2022 sentenced former intelligence chief Yankuba Badji and four other members of the intelligence service to death for the killing of a political activist Ebrima Solo Sandeng during the rule of former strongman Yahya Jammeh.
- OCTOBER 21, 2021GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
One Momodou Korka Jallow on 21 October 2021 was sentenced to death in Gambia by the High Court, presided over by Justice Sainabou W. Cisse after he was convicted of murder.
- JULY 20, 2021GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: EX-JUNTA MEMBER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Banjul High Court on 14 July 2021 sentenced Yankuba Touray, a former Minister of Local Government and Lands to death by hanging.
- JANUARY 1, 2020GambiaDEATH PENALTY
On 19 February 2018, Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a moratorium on the death penalty
On 19 February 2018, Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a moratorium on the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2020GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA ANNOUNCES ‘MORATORIUM’ ON DEATH PENALTY
Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a suspension of the death penalty in his country, in a break from the former regime of the dictator Yahya Jammeh.
JULY 26, 2019GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: SENEGALESE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STRANGLING WOMAN
Justice Z. Jawara Alami of the High Court last week sentenced one Pap Ibrahim Khalilulaye Thiam, a Senegalese national to death for strangling one Fatou Loum, The Standard reported on 25 July 2019.
MAY 11, 2019GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: GOVERNMENT COMMUTES ALL DEATH SENTENCES TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Abubacar Tambadou, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice said on 7 May 2019 the government of the Gambia as part of fulfilling its international obligation is willing to remove the death penalty.
- JANUARY 1, 2019GambiaDEATH PENALTY
On 19 February 2018, Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a moratorium on the death penalty
On 19 February 2018, Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a moratorium on the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2019GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA ANNOUNCES ‘MORATORIUM’ ON DEATH PENALTY
Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a suspension of the death penalty in his country, in a break from the former regime of the dictator Yahya Jammeh.
OCTOBER 3, 2018GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: SECOND PROTOCOL TO ICCPR RATIFIED
Gambia has ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, on 28 September 2018
JULY 11, 2018GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: 23 PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW
Gambia government has told the United Nations Human Rights Committee that the country is working on plans to repeal its law enforcing death penalty thus commuting the sentences of those on death row to life sentences.
- FEBRUARY 18, 2018GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA ANNOUNCES ‘MORATORIUM’ ON DEATH PENALTY
Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a suspension of the death penalty in his country, in a break from the former regime of the dictator Yahya Jammeh.
- JANUARY 1, 2018GambiaDEATH PENALTY
On 19 February 2018, Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a moratorium on the death penalty
On 19 February 2018, Gambian President Adama Barrow announced a moratorium on the death penalty
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2017GambiaDEATH PENALTY
MADAGASCAR RATIFIES ABOLITIONIST TREATY AND THE GAMBIA SIGNED IT
Gambia signed the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty on 20 September 2017 and that Madagascar ratified it on 21 September 2017 together with the Optional Proto
MARCH 23, 2017GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: JUSTICE MINISTER WANTS DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Baboucarr Tambedou, said he wants the death penalty abolished in The Gambia.
- JANUARY 1, 2017GambiaDEATH PENALTY
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
- JANUARY 1, 2016GambiaDEATH PENALTY
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
JULY 22, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: PRESIDENT YAHYA JAMMEH GRANTS PARDONS BUT COUP PLOTTERS REMAIN ON DEATH ROW
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh pardoned several death-row inmates on July 22, the 21st anniversary of his arrival to power, but notably excluded those accused of launching a failed coup in December.
- JULY 5, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: PRESIDENT GRANTS AMNESTY TO CONVICTED COUP PLOTTER
Gambia's president granted amnesty to 85 prisoners including a former police official accused of participating in a coup attempt in 2009, state media said.
- APRIL 24, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTY
At its 56th ordinary session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) put the
At its 56th ordinary session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) put the
APRIL 1, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: 3 SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH, 3 GET LIFE IN PRISON
Col Mamadou Sowe, president of the Gambia court martial, assisted by Justice Emmanuel Amadi of the Supreme Court and Advocate Judge of the Court Martial, has sentenced Lt Col Saikou Jarju, Lieutenant Sanneh, and Private Momodou Njie to death, The Point ha
- JANUARY 1, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTY
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
NOVEMBER 12, 2014GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: FORMER ARMY CHIEF AND SIX OTHERS DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED TO LIFE
A seven-member panel of judges of the Gambia Supreme Court presided over by the Chief Justice
- MAY 15, 2014GambiaDEATH PENALTY
the Nigeria-based Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) filed suit in the ECOWAS
the Nigeria-based Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) filed suit in the ECOWAS
- JANUARY 31, 2014GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: MURDERER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HACKING MOTHER'S LOVER
The High Court in Banjul presided over by Justice Abdulahi Mikailu, recently convicted and sentenced one
- JANUARY 1, 2014GambiaDEATH PENALTY
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
In Gambia, the death penalty was abolished in 1993, but re-established in August 1995 by the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.