Mouctar Diallo held incommunicado by Gambian authorities

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Benedicte Bakkeskau and I am a Graduate Student at the American University in Cairo, Egypt.

I am writing on behalf of a fellow colleague of mine, Mouctar Diallo, who has been held incommunicado by Gambian authorities since June 28, 2011.

Mouctar Diallo is a graduate student in Political Science and Anthropology/Sociology at the American University in Cairo and a Guinean National. He was arrested on April 30, 2011, three days after arriving in the Gambia to continue anthropological research he had begun in the Gambia the previous semester and had continued in his home country of Guinea. He spent over a week being questioned in jail and then was effectively under house arrest until June 28th, when the Gambian National Intelligence Agency (NIA) called him in again for questioning and told him they were making a case to prosecute him as a terrorist. They accused him of spreading Egyptian revolutionary ideas to Gambia. Since then, no one has been able to reach him.

Background information on the events leading up to Mouctar’s detention on June 28th:

On April 30, 2011, shortly after arriving in Serekunda, Gambia, Mouctar was walking in front of a building where UN officials resided, where police were investigating a break-in that had occurred the previous night. They stopped him and searched his bag and his pockets then had him bring them back to the guest house where he was staying. They were suspicious of the books and field notes they found there and arrested him, jailing him in Kairaba police station until May 9th. They confiscated his computer, his notes, his phone, and many other possessions and pored over what they found to make a case against him. Also, boxes containing his books that he was having a driver move from Conakry to Serekunda were confiscated when they arrived at customs because, again, officials reportedly were suspicious of the contents of the books. After a week and a half, he was released on bail but kept effectively under house arrest, being constantly watched in a property the police had set him up in.

After Mouctar contacted friends and university faculty back in Cairo, the American University in Cairo faxed a letter signed by Mouctar's thesis advisor, the graduate program coordinator, the department chair, and the dean of social sciences and humanities explaining that he was a student in good standing conducting university-funded research. Gambian authorities were still not convinced. Mouctar tried to work with more than one lawyer who dropped his case, apparently because they were told he was a dangerous terrorist.

All this while the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) periodically called him in for questioning, repeatedly telling him they would soon issue a report determining whether he could be allowed to stay and finish his research or would be deported. Toward the end of June the questioning became increasingly harsh, with increasingly wild accusations and threats of torture by electric shock, and Mouctar began to worry that he would disappear without a trace. They accused him of being a "terrorist" and of fomenting an Egypt-style revolution.

On June 28, he met with the officer in charge of his case to get an update on his case and inquire about getting his possessions back. His fears were confirmed when the officer told him that the NIA would keep him under their custody for the next 48 hours for questioning and that afterwards they would likely try him as a terrorist. We spoke with Mouctar that day just before he was to go in for questioning. He was worried that they may never let him out again, and he told us that if they let him out after the 48-hour period he would contact us immediately. But if he did not contact us we should assume they had imprisoned him and were moving forward with the terrorism case. Although he had hesitated to draw attention to a case that had looked like it might be dismissed at any moment, at this point he said he would welcome any intervention on his behalf.

Since then no one has heard from him or been able to reach him.
______________________________________________________________

This information is also found on the Facebook page that has been created in order to create awareness around Mouctar’s situation and disseminate information concerning his case and its developments. You will find it here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Mouctar-Diallo-in-the-Gambia/223362961037492#!/pages/Free-Mouctar-Diallo-in-the-Gambia/223362961037492?sk=wall

I kindly ask you to look into this case immediately and urgently as we are worried for Mouctar’s safety and well-being. I also ask that you spread the news of Mouctar’s unjust detention and plead for his release as we have not had success in doing this. If you have any suggestions for people who might be able to help with this unjust case, please let us know.

As Fahamu’s mission is to support and strengthen human rights and social justice in Africa, I would consider Mouctar Diallo’s unjust detention in the Gambia to be of high concern to your organization.

Thank You.

Best regards,
Benedicte Bakkeskau