Barrow pardons over 100 prisoners

President Adama Barrow on Friday granted a free and unconditional pardon to 105 convicted prisoners in commemoration of the Muslim new year feast Yawm al-Ashura, exercising his constitutional prerogative of mercy powers.

According to a statement from the Office of the President, the decision followed due consultation with the Constitutional Committee. The President personally reviewed the individual circumstances of each of the 105 beneficiaries and determined that their cases warranted the grant of clemency,” the statement said.

“The beneficiaries comprise 103 male  and 2 female inmates, including both Gambian citizens and foreign nationals who met the assessment and recommendation criteria set by the Constitutional Committee” the release said.

The statement said the decision to extend clemency during the observance of Yawm al-Ashura reflects Barrow’s commitment to the values of mercy, compassion, and restorative justice associated with the occasion.