[JURIST] A military court in Gambia secretly sentenced three soldiers to death on Monday for an attempted coup d’état, Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] reported [press release] Wednesday. Three other soldiers were sentenced to life in prison. All media was banned from observing the proceedings. AI claims the death sentences are a violation of the right to a fair trial and the right to life. “Gambia’s justice system is deeply flawed and we have concerns about the fairness of the trial, given that it was held in secret,” Stephen Cockburn, AI Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said. AI urged that the sentences be commuted to a term in prison and called for a new trial. The failed attempt to oust President Yahya Jammeh [BBC profile] took place on December 30 of last year. Jammeh took power in a coup 20 years ago.

In January two men were charged [JURIST report] in the US with conspiring to help overthrow the Gambian government. On December 30 gunfire erupted [BBC report] near the presidential palace in Banjul, leaving four killed. Later that week UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [official website] expressed [JURIST report] “principled condemnation” of the attempted coup, urging respect for the rule of law. In November the UN also criticized Gambia [JURIST report] for its passage and enforcement of legislation criminalizing homosexual acts. In September Gambian lawmakers passed a bill [JURIST report] imposing life imprisonment for some homosexual acts.