Sonko is suspected of ordering the torture of political prisoners under former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh, who was ousted from power in 2017 after a 22-year rule.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Former Gambian Interior MinisterOusman Sonko, suspected of crimes against humanity, is to stay in a Swiss jail until at least the end of October, after his appeal was rejected by the Federal Criminal Court, media reports said on Sunday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/jc
العربية
ar
محققون سويسريون في غامبيا لجمع الأدلة ضد متهم بارتكاب جرائم ضد الإنسانية
The court decision was based on a risk that he might flee if freed, and on a likelihood of charges being strengthened, according to Swiss news agency Keystone-SDA, which obtained a copy of the September 1 ruling.
This confirms a report in the SonntagsBlick newspaper, which also said Swiss investigators from the Federal Office of Police and Office of the Attorney General (OAG) travelled to Gambia at the end of June. A spokesman for the OAG told Keystone-SDA that a team had indeed been to the West African country “several times during the course of the procedures to gather evidence in the framework of mutual judicial cooperation, notably to question witnesses”.
SonntagsBlick writes that witnesses have provided more incriminating evidence against Sonko. He is accused of ordering the torture of opposition members when he was interior minister under Gambia’s former dictator Yahya Jammeh.
Sonko was arrested in a Swiss asylum centre in January 2017 and has been in jail ever since. This preventive detention has to be confirmed periodically by a court, as investigations continue. The case was referred to Swiss authorities by Geneva-based NGO TRIAL International.
Sonko could be the second person brought to trial in Switzerland for international crimes after Liberian Alieu Kosiah, who was sentenced to 20 years in jail for war crimes in June this year. Under the principle of “universal jurisdiction”, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity can be tried even if the accused is not a national and the crimes were committed in another country.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Why cars still reign supreme in ‘rail-nation’ Switzerland
Uri voters clear path for hotel and marina complex in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Voters in canton Uri in central Switzerland have rejected a Green Party initiative aimed at regulating the development of the lakeside site in Isleten.
Valais voters reject plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland have turned down a proposal for the region to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
What can the Swiss learn from the Finns on judging Liberian war crimes?
This content was published on
Historic war crimes trials for Liberia are under way in Switzerland and Finland. But the two approaches are rather different.
Hopes rising that war criminals will be brought to court
This content was published on
Countries including Switzerland are increasingly using “universal jurisdiction” to prosecute war criminals, says a new report.
Why Switzerland’s war crimes office is dragging its feet
This content was published on
After seven years, Switzerland’s war crimes office still has not completed any cases, while two people wait in detention. What’s behind the inaction?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.