BANJUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Commonwealth has expressed concern about the recent execution of nine death row prisoners in the west African nation of Gambia, Spokesperson and Director of Communications and Public Affairs Richard Uku said in a message send to the Gambian authority.
Since the first media reports of the executions, the Commonwealth Secretariat had sought verification of the facts from the Gambian government.
The confirmation by the government on Monday that these executions were indeed carried out made this a matter of "grave concern", Mr Uku said.
Speaking on behalf of Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, Uku said the Commonwealth called on the government of The Gambia to renounce plans for any further executions.
"The Secretary-General wishes to emphasize to the government of the Gambia that all members of the Commonwealth have subscribed to Commonwealth values, which reflect the highest international standards of the rule of law," the spokesperson said.
In this context, Uku noted that the Commonwealth and the government of the Gambia agreed during the Secretary-General's visit to Banjul in April this year that the Commonwealth would help the country establish a human rights commission, as well as a human rights division and institutional support for its Judicial Services Commission and Judicial Education Institute.
The Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organization of 54 independent member states. All members except Mozambique and Rwanda were part of the British Empire out of which Commonwealth developed.
The west African nation joined the Commonwealth organization in 1965 after gaining its independent from Britain.
Related:
U.S. concerned about executions of death row inmates in Gambia
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Tuesday expressed "great concern" about the executions of nine death row inmates by the Gambian government, calling for the West African nation to review all its capital cases.
"The United States is greatly concerned by the government of the Gambia's execution of nine death row inmates," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement. Full story
Gambian envoy in Senegal summoned over execution of inmates
DAKAR, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese President Macky Sall has ordered his prime minister to summon the Gambian ambassador in Dakar to inform him of Senegal's protests following the execution of death row inmates in Gambia, including two Senegalese nationals.
"I have asked the prime minister to summon the Gambian ambassador to notify him the position of Senegal. If he does not appear at the scheduled time, then he must leave Senegal," the president said on Tuesday night after returning from a private tour in Africa. Full story
Senegal's president urges Gambia to stop further executions
DAKAR, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese President Macky Sall appealed to Gambia to immediately postpone any further executions of prisoners who have been sentenced to death, after the recent executions of nine prisoners who included two Senegalese nationals.
In a statement published on Tuesday by his spokesman, the Senegalese president "regretted the executions of death row inmates that happened in Gambia, despite several appeals that had been made to the country's authorities to stop the process." Full story
|
