Yahya A.J.J Jammeh | |
|---|---|
 Jammeh in 2014 | |
| 2nd President of the Gambia | |
| In office 6 November 1996 – 19 January 2017[a] | |
| Vice President | Isatou Njie-Saidy |
| Preceded by | Sir Dawda Jawara |
| Succeeded by | Adama Barrow |
| Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council | |
| In office 22 July 1994 – 6 November 1996 | |
| Deputy | Capt. Sanna B Sabally |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Capt. Edward Singateh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Yahya Abdul-Aziz James Junku Jammeh 25 May 1965 Kanilai Village, The Gambia |
| Political party | Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Parent | Asombi Bojang (Mother) (1946 - 2018) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  The Gambia |
| Branch/service |
|
| Years of service | 1984–1996 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | National Gendarmerie |
| Status | Claimed for the charges of murder of 59 migrants.[1] Forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detentions.[2][full citation needed] |
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President of the Gambia 1996-2017
Government
parliamentary election local elections others Family  |
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Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born 25 May 1965) is a Gambian politician and military dictator who overthrew the elected government and became President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017, as well as Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 1994 to 1996.
Jammeh was born in Kanilai, in West Coast Region of the Gambia, and is a Muslim of the Jola ethnic group. He attended Gambia High School in Banjul from 1978 to 1983 and served in the Gambian National Gendarmerie from 1984 to 1989. He was then commissioned as an officer of the Gambian National Army, commanding the Military Police from 1992 to 1994. In July 1994, he came to power by leading a bloodless coup d'etat that overthrew the elected government of Sir Dawda Jawara. At first ruling by decree, he was elected president in the 1996 election. Jammeh was re-elected as president in 2001, 2006 and 2011, but lost to Adama Barrow in 2016.
His presidency oversaw a shift towards authoritarianism, demonstrated in particular by his policies towards anti-government journalists, LGBT+ people and opposition parties. His foreign policy led to constant difficulties with the country's sole neighbour, Senegal. In 2013, Jammeh withdrew the Gambia from the Commonwealth of Nations and in 2016 he began the process of withdrawing the country from the International Criminal Court, one year after he declared the nation an Islamic republic. All three decisions were later rescinded by successor government, despite Jammeh's supporters arguing that his foreign policy encouraged self-sufficiency and anti-colonialism.
Jammeh has been accused of serious human rights violations, such as murder, rape and torture, as highlighted in the final report of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, he is now living in exile in Equatorial Guinea. His assets around the world have been frozen by many countries amidst additional accusations of stealing millions of dollars from his country to fund a life of luxury. Jammeh has denied the allegations against him.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "Gambia: Ex-President Tied to Killing of 59 Migrants". Human Rights Watch. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ "Yahya Jammeh". Human Rights Watch.