Ousman Sonko, a former Gambian interior minister, is currently on trial in Switzerland on charges of crimes against humanity. Sonko fled The Gambia in 2016, preceding the downfall of former President Yahya Jammeh’s repressive regime. The charges against Sonko include participation in or ordering killings, torture, and rape targeting political opponents, potentially constituting crimes against humanity under Swiss law.
Switzerland is utilizing the principle of universal jurisdiction to prosecute Sonko, allowing countries to pursue legal action on their territory for events that occurred elsewhere. Sonko, who served as Jammeh’s right-hand man, oversaw the security services, including an alleged paramilitary group known as “the Junglers.”
Human rights groups view this trial, held in the southern Swiss city of Bellinzona, as a potential warning to repressive governments globally about the long reach of the law. This case marks the second time Switzerland has prosecuted someone under universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity. In a similar case in June 2023, former Liberian militia leader Alieu Kosiah was sentenced to 20 years for crimes such as rape, murder, and cannibalism.
Swiss investigators interviewed numerous alleged victims and witnesses, with nine scheduled to testify during the trial. The proceedings are anticipated to last a month, with a verdict expected in March. Other countries, including Germany and the United States, are also pursuing cases against former members of Jammeh’s regime. While The Gambia has established its transitional justice process, human rights groups note that progress has been slow.