The Secretary General of Amnesty International - The Gambia,
 Mohammed L. Sillah, has called on the Gambia Government to repeal the
 death penalty and some decrees introduced during two years of military
 rule.

 Mr. Sillah renewed AI's stance on the death penalty at a press conference
 held on Friday at the organisation's secretariat in Bakau. Mr. Sillah said
 the decrees and laws on the death penalty are contradicting the country's
 constitution and violating the rights of the people. 

 'I am urging the government to repeal the death penalty, press decrees
 70/71 and decree 89 (which bans some parties and politicians) in order to
 create a conducive environment for the human being in general,' he said.

 Mr. Sillah further appealed to the government to positively respond to AI's
 recommendation in its report about The Gambia and urged the government
 to conduct an independent enquiry into the death of ex-Finance minister
 Koro Ceesay, former AFRPC member Sadibou Hydara and Yaya
 Drammeh, who was involved in the Farafenni military camp attack in 1996.

  'The government should enter into a positive dialogue with Amnesty
 International to ban the death penalty. It was banned during the Jawara
 regime. I don't know why it should be re-introduced,' he questioned.

 Mr Sillah further expressed dissatisfaction over governments that 'hide
 under the name of Islam to violate the rights of the people.'

 He further appealed to the government to join the international community
 in ratifying the convention on the International Criminal Court and the
 African Charter on the Welfare of the Child.

 Kebba Nyangado, president of AI's Jeshwang branch, chaired the press
 conference. 
 

                      

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