Yahya Jammeh
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| Yahya Jammeh | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office July 1994 |
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| Vice President(s) | Isatou Njie Saidy |
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| Preceded by | Dawda Jawara |
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| Born | May 25, 1965 Kanilai, The Gambia |
| Political party | Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction |
| Spouse | Madam Zineb Jammeh |
Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung) Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. As chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, he took control of the country in a military coup in July 1994, and was elected as president two years later, in September 1996, in widely criticized elections.[1] He founded the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction as his political party. Jammeh was re-elected on October 18, 2001 with about 53% of the vote; this election was generally deemed free and fair by observers.[2].
President Jammeh was formerly named Yahya Alphonse Jemus Jebulai Jammeh.
Jammeh has been accused of restricting freedom of the press; harsh new press laws were followed by the unsolved killing of a reporter who had been critical of them, Deyda Hydara, in December 2004.[3] Jammeh has denied that security agents were involved in the killing.[4] A coup attempt against Jammeh was reported to have been thwarted on March 21, 2006; Jammeh, who was in Mauritania at the time, quickly returned home. Army chief of staff Ndure Cham, the alleged leader of the plot,[5] reportedly fled to neighboring Senegal, while other alleged conspirators were arrested[6] and have been put on trial for treason.[7]
Jammeh ran for a third term as president on September 22, 2006; the election was initially planned for October but was moved forward because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. He was re-elected with 67.3% of the vote and was declared the winner of the election; opposition candidate Ousainou Darboe finished second, as in 2001.[8] Darboe rejected the results, saying that the election was not free and fair and that there was widespread intimidation.[4]
In early December 2006, Jammeh made a three-day visit to Iran, where he met with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ali Khamenei; Ahmadinejad said that Iran would provide aid to assist in the development of The Gambia, and he and Jammeh spoke of deepening ties between the two countries.[9][10]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Background Note: The Gambia, U.S. Department of State, March 2006.
- ^ Country Report on Human Rights Practices for The Gambia, U.S. Department of State, March 4, 2002.
- ^ "Thousands protest peacefully at murder of journalist", IRIN, December 22, 2004.
- ^ a b "Gambian opposition claims fraud", BBC.co.uk, September 25, 2006.
- ^ "Attempted coup averted, government says", IRIN, March 22, 2006.
- ^ "Arrests over Gambia 'coup plot'", BBC.co.uk, March 28, 2006.
- ^ "Suspected Gambian coupists before court martial", afrol News, October 6, 2006.
- ^ "Gambian president is re-elected", BBC News, September 23, 2006.
- ^ "Pressure has no impact on Iran-Gambia ties: Ahmadinejad", Islamic Republic News Agency, December 4, 2006.
- ^ "Gambia Calls for Expansion of Ties with Iran", Fars News Agency, December 4, 2006.
[edit] See also
| Preceded by Dawda Jawara |
President of The Gambia 1994–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Jammeh, Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Jammeh, Yahya Alphonse Jemus Jebulai (former name) |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Gambian president |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 25, 1965 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | |
| DATE OF DEATH | living |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
