government: presidential republic
state of civil and political rights: Partly free
constitution: 16 January 1997; amended 2001, 2004, 2018; in early 2018, the “Constitutional Review Commission,” was established to draft and assist in instituting a new constitution; a second draft completed in March 2020 was rejected by the National Assembly in September; the president announced in January 2022 government plans to draft a new constitution
legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
legislative system: unicameral National Assembly (58 seats; 53 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
judicial system: Supreme Court of The Gambia (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices; court sessions held with 5 justices); Court of Appeal; High Court; Special Criminal Court; Khadis or Muslim courts; district tribunals; magistrates courts; cadi courts
religion: Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.)
death row: 23 (end 2017, according Amnesty International)
year of last executions: 0-0-0
death sentences: 0
executions: 0
international treaties on human rights and the death penalty:International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (aiming to the abolition of the death penalty)
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
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