General

Hundreds detained and beaten in Gambian witch hunt

Campaign appears to have the backing of the Gambian government

Hundreds of people accused of witchcraft in Gambia have been abducted and taken to secret detention centres where they are beaten and forced to drink unknown substances that cause them to hallucinate and soil themselves, Amnesty International alleges. The campaign against supposed witches appears to have the backing of the Gambian government, as the “witch doctors” abducting those accused of witchcraft are accompanied by government security forces and President Yahya Jammeh’s personal bodyguard unit. President Jammeh suspects that witchcraft was behind the recent death of his aunt.

Amnesty International

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