Protests put Gambia's Jammeh under pressure

Pressure is mounting on Gambian President Yahya Jammeh following a series of protests that pose a serious threat to his 20-year rule, The Guardian has reported.

Yahya Jammeh

Beginning on April 16, Gambian citizens took to the streets of the country's capital, Banjul, to voice their dissatisfaction in what was deemed the biggest act of public defiance since Jammeh's rise to power in 1996.


Despite attempts by security forces to quell the unrest, hundreds of residents took to the streets just two days later, lamenting the death of opposition youth leader Ebrima Solo Sandeng and demanding the release of the remaining detainees who were apprehended during their previous protest.

In the days that followed, several activists who had been arrested during the protest appeared in court amid a choir of voices offering their support and solidarity.

On April 28, a large crowd gathered outside the residence of opposition leader Ousainou Darboe, calling for the return of Solo Sandeng "dead or alive", with videos of the protests spreading throughout social media.