In an extraordinary session the African Commission has passed a resolution asking the African Union to move the Commission's headquarters out of the Gambia following the President's recent threats to kill human rights defenders or their supporters whom he accused of trying to destabilise the Government.

Further Information

Inter alia the resolution

(v) REQUESTS the African Union to authorize and provide extra-budgetary resources to the African Commission to ensure that the 46th Ordinary Session is convened and held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, or any other Member State of the African Union, in the event that His Excellency the President of The Republic of The Gambia does not withdraw his threats and the Government cannot guarantee the safety and security of the members and staff of the African Commission and the participants of the 46th Ordinary Session;

(iv) REQUESTS the African Union to consider relocating the Secretariat of the African Commission in the event that the human rights situation in the Republic of The Gambia does not improve;

The full text of the resolution is available in the attached PDF