Issued at the conclusion of the Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Monitor (DREAM) Engagement
Banjul, The Gambia — May 12, 2026
PREAMBLE:
We, the undersigned Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), journalists, digital rights defenders, and independent election monitors, convened in Banjul to assess the digital threat landscape ahead of the December 2026 general elections.
We affirm that in the modern era, the electoral process is inextricably linked to digital infrastructure. A digital rights violation during an election is, fundamentally, an electoral violation. You cannot have a credible election without an open internet.
Guided by the protections enshrined in Chapter IV of the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia, the Personal Data Protection and Privacy Act (2025), and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Resolution 580 on Internet Shutdowns and Elections, we issue this joint communiqué to all State and Private Duty Bearers.
OUR DEMANDS:
1. To the Government of The Gambia and Security Agencies: We categorically reject the use of internet shutdowns, bandwidth throttling, or the blocking of social media platforms before, during, or after the electoral period. An information blackout creates panic, hides human rights abuses, and destroys trust in the electoral outcome. We demand an absolute commitment to keeping the internet open and accessible. Furthermore, we demand an end to the weaponization of cybercrime laws to arbitrarily arrest citizens, monitors, or journalists for political speech.
2. To the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) & Data Protection Authority: We demand maximum transparency in the procurement and deployment of electoral technologies. The IEC must strictly adhere to the Data Protection Act (2025), ensuring that citizens’ sensitive biometric voter data is securely encrypted and shielded from unauthorized political profiling or breaches. To combat disinformation and deepfakes, the IEC must prioritize the rapid, proactive disclosure of verifiable facts, rather than relying on state censorship.
3. To Telecommunications Operators and ISPs: We remind the private sector of its independent duty to respect human rights under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We call upon all telecom operators to demand clear, written, legal directives before complying with any state requests that restrict user access, and to remain fully transparent with the Gambian public regarding the nature and origin of any network disruptions.
OUR COMMITMENT:
As Civil Society, we will not be passive observers. We commit to actively monitoring the digital landscape with rigorous impartiality. Using the DREAM Toolkit (DREAMT) methodology and the Ripoti platform, we will document, verify, and globally expose any attempts to subvert the democratic process through digital means.
We stand united to defend an open internet and the digital rights of every Gambian voter.
ADOPTED AND SIGNED THIS 12TH DAY OF MAY, 2026.
Muhammed Bello Buhari
Programmes Officer (Anglophone West Africa), Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
Alieu Sowe
Country Director, Give1 Gambia
OFFICIALLY ENDORSED BY THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:
- Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
- Give1 Gambia
- Edward Francis Small Center for Rights and Justice
- CIVIC 101
- Gambia Press Union (GPU)
- Tech4SDGs
- The National Youth Parliament-Gambia
- GamCON Infosec
- Unite Movement
- Info-Checked
- Center for Research & Policy Development (CRPD)
- The Republic
- Women in Liberation & Leadership (WILL)
