The Gambia Country of Origin Information (COI) Report COI Service 5 November 2013 The Gambia November 2013 Contents Preface Paragraphs 1. Security forces ..................................................................................................... 1.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 1.01 Police ..................................................................................................................... 1.02 Armed forces ........................................................................................................ 1.03 National Intelligence Agency (NIA) ..................................................................... 1.06 National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDEA) ...................................................... 1.08 Human Rights violations by Government security forces ................................ 1.10 Arbtrary arrest and detention .............................................................................. 1.11 Torture ................................................................................................................ 1.16 Avenues of complaint .......................................................................................... 1.18 2. Judiciary ................................................................................................................ 2.01 Organisation ......................................................................................................... 2.01 Independence ....................................................................................................... 2.02 Fair trial ................................................................................................................. 2.03 3. Prison conditions ................................................................................................. 3.01 4. Death penalty ........................................................................................................ 4.01 5. Political affiliation ................................................................................................. 5.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 5.01 Political parties ................................................................................................... 5.02 Freedom of political expression.......................................................................... 5.03 Freedom of association and assembly ............................................................... 5.06 Opposition groups and political activists .......................................................... 5.09 6. Freedom of speech and media ............................................................................ 6.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 6.01 Journalists ............................................................................................................ 6.07 Radio and television ............................................................................................. 6.10 Internet .................................................................................................................. 6.11 7. Human rights institutions, organisations and activists .................................... 7.01 8. Freedom of religion .............................................................................................. 8.01 Legal and policy issues ....................................................................................... 8.01 Religious demography ......................................................................................... 8.02 State attitudes ....................................................................................................... 8.03 Societal attitudes .................................................................................................. 8.06 9. Ethnic groups ....................................................................................................... 9.01 Overview ............................................................................................................... 9.01 Inter-ethnic relations ............................................................................................ 9.03 Language .............................................................................................................. 9.06 Main ethnic groups ............................................................................................... 9.09 Mandinka ............................................................................................................ 9.10 Fula (Fulakunda, Fulani) .................................................................................... 9.11 Wolof .................................................................................................................. 9.13 Jola ..................................................................................................................... 9.14 Serahuli .............................................................................................................. 9.15 Aku ..................................................................................................................... 9.16 10. Sexual orientation and gender identity .............................................................. 10.01 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 15 October 2013 November 2013 The Gambia Legal information ................................................................................................. 10.01 Treatment by, and attitude of, state authorities ................................................. 10.06 Societal treatment and attitudes ......................................................................... 10.10 11. Disability ............................................................................................................... 11.01 Legal issues .......................................................................................................... 11.01 Treatment of people with disabilities .................................................................. 11.03 Assistance ............................................................................................................ 11.07 12. Women .................................................................................................................. 12.01 Legal rights ........................................................................................................... 12.01 Family and personal law ..................................................................................... 12.07 Political rights ....................................................................................................... 12.10 Social and economic rights ................................................................................. 12.12 Access to education and employment ................................................................ 12.12 Marriage and divorce.......................................................................................... 12.15 Legal position ................................................................................................. 12.15 Marriage ......................................................................................................... 12.16 Divorce ........................................................................................................... 12.21 Violence against women ...................................................................................... 12.24 Domestic violence .............................................................................................. 12.24 Rape................................................................................................................... 12.27 Sexual harassment ............................................................................................ 12.28 NGO assistance .................................................................................................... 12.29 Health and welfare ................................................................................................ 12.31 Human trafficking ................................................................................................. 12.33 13. Children ................................................................................................................. 13.01 Legal rights ........................................................................................................... 13.01 Violence and exploitation .................................................................................... 13.05 Sexual abuse ..................................................................................................... 13.07 Corporal punishment .......................................................................................... 13.09 Human trafficking ............................................................................................... 13.10 Forced and child marriage .................................................................................. 13.12 Legal rights .................................................................................................... 13.12 Variation in child marriage: educational, geographical and