27 people arrested in a protest in Gambia over the sale of a former dictator’s assets

BANJUL, Gambia (AP) - Protests in Gambia over the sale of a former dictator’s assets led to the arrests of at least 27 demonstrators and two journalists, who were later released, police said Monday.

The protests in the West African country’s capital of Banjul began after an investigative report by local media that accused the government of selling former dictator Yahya Jammeh 's assets at below market value. A group called the Gambians Against Looted Assets, or GALA, led the protest.

According to a government statement Monday, the sale went through a "legally grounded process."

"At all times, the government acted within the confines of the law and in the public interest," the Ministry of Justice said.

"We condemn the (Inspector General of the Police) denial of our rights to protest and we will take none of it. We call on all Gambians to stand in opposition to this unlawful behavior of the police and come out in the thousands to take to the streets," GALA spokesperson Omar Saibo Camara said at a news conference earlier this week. Camara was responding to the government’s announcement that it had denied their request to protest.

A government commission was created in 2017 with the goal of looking into the financial dealings of former President Jammeh and his advisers. The commission concluded on Sept. 13, 2019 with a report indicating that the former president had stolen up to $362 million from the country.

His two-decade-long rule was marked by arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, according to rights activists. Along with political opponents, Jammeh also targeted journalists and members of the gay community.

Jammeh now resides in Equatorial Guinea.