Editorial: Free the GALA Youths and Uphold Democratic Rights

The recent arrest of 16 young Gambians affiliated with the Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) movement marks a troubling setback for democratic expression in The Gambia. Their only “offense” was exercising a fundamental right enshrined in our national constitution: the right to peaceful assembly and protest.

The Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia is unambiguous. It guarantees citizens the right to assemble and to express themselves freely, especially in matters of public interest. These young people took to the streets not to incite violence or disrupt public order, but to demand accountability and transparency in the handling of former President Yahya Jammeh’s looted assets - a demand that any responsible government should welcome, not suppress.

Since Jammeh’s departure, the government has made repeated assurances to the Gambian people and the international community that justice and transparency would guide the recovery and disposal of stolen assets. Yet, the process remains murky. How much was recovered? What was sold, to whom, and at what price? Where are the proceeds? These are not radical questions. They are legitimate inquiries in any democratic society - and especially in one trying to rebuild trust in governance.

The arrest and detention of protesters asking these questions is a stain on the conscience of the state. It undermines confidence in the current administration’s commitment to transparency and betrays the very principles of the “New Gambia”, “Never Again”. If citizens cannot peacefully question their government without fear of arrest, then our democracy is on a dangerous path.

We therefore call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained GALA protesters. Furthermore, we urge the government to engage openly with civil society and provide a full accounting of the Jammeh assets process. Anything less would not only be a betrayal of public trust - it would be an indictment of our nation’s democratic progress.

The right to protest is not a privilege. It is a right - and it must be protected.