EU concerned about high-profile Gambian arrests

(BANJUL) - The European Union in Gambia expressed concern Tuesday about the "arbitrary detention" of a renowned lawyer and rights defender as well as an outspoken religious leader who criticised government.

Lawyer Amie Bensouda and Imam Baba Leigh were arrested on separate occasions last week, but while Bensouda was released on bail after 48 hours, Leigh remains in detention and is being denied access to family and lawyers, read an EU statement.

Bensouda is the sister-in-law of International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

"Such conditions and actions by the Gambian State are incompatible with the human rights commitments made by the Government of the Republic of The Gambia to a range of international treaties," read the statement issued by the British High Commission, which represents the EU in Gambia.

"The EU looks forward to discussing human rights issues during its next political dialogue" with government.

Opposition leader Mai Fatty of the Gambia Moral Congress also condemned the detention of Leigh, which he said passed the 72 hour constitutional limit.

"We strongly condemn this illegality, and call for an end to impunity," he said in a statement.

The reasons for Bensouda's arrest were not clear, but Leigh was a staunch critic of President Yahya Jammeh's government, most recently for its execution of nine prisoners by firing squad in August.

International rights bodies regularly slam Gambia -- the smallest country on the African mainland -- for rights abuses including arbitrary arrests and detentions of opponents, journalists and rights defenders.

Jammeh has ruled the country of 1.8 million people with an iron fist since a coup in 1994, as well as an aura of mystery, claiming to be able to cure AIDS and other diseases.