Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Gambia (Ratification: 2000)

Trade union rights and civil liberties. In its previous comment, the Committee had requested the Government to provide comments on the observations of the International Trade Union Confederation received on 1 September 2017, which contains allegations of arbitrary arrests of several leaders of the Gambian National Transport Control Association (GNTCA), the death of Mr Sheriff Diba, one of the arrested leaders, while in detention, and the ban imposed on the activities of the GNTCA. The Committee notes with regret that the Government does not provide any concrete information on these grave allegations and their investigation and only indicates that the case involving the leaders of the said Association has been discontinued before the High Court of The Gambia and that the parties have been discharged. The Committee further recalls the need to make every effort to investigate the alleged grave violations of trade union rights, with a view to apportioning responsibility and punishing the perpetrators. The Committee requests the Government to take any necessary additional measures to ensure that these grave allegations are duly investigated and to provide information in this respect, including as to the process before the High Court of The Gambia and its outcome.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.