[JURIST] Gambian prosecutors on Thursday charged 10 men, including top military officials, with conspiring to overthrow the government of President Yahya Jammeh. The prosecution claims the men procured arms and troops in anticipation of a military coup. Eight of the ten men charged have been under arrest since November.
Last week, an opposition official complained of frequent incidents of indefinite detention of citizens, including government officials, without charges being filed. In February, Gambia ordered an envoy from UNICEF to leave the country. Last September, Jammeh threatened to kill human rights workers who threatened to destabilize his regime. Also in September, Jammeh pardoned six journalists who had been jailed for criticizing him. In 2006, 10 military officers were sentenced to jail for planning to overthrow Jammeh.