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(LEFT) Bintou was arrested in the Gambian capital Banjul and detained for five days after attending a rally to demand the release of illegally detained protesters from previous rallies held on April 15th/16th, 2016. During her detention, Bintou said that she was beaten, tortured, and raped by two masked security officers at the Gambia Police Intervention Unit (PIU) Head Quarters. When asked by the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission if she would prefer to keep her identity anonymous, she said “No, this was done to me, and I want justice. These men should be punished”.
(RIGHT) A silhouette of members of Gambia's Police Intervention Unit (PIU) at their Head Quarters. Under the former Jammeh regime the PIU, the TRRC revealed, was involved in multiple human rights violations - including unlawful detention, torture and rape. Until the TRRC recommendations for prosecutions are actioned, many perpetrators remain within the Gambian security services.