A former Gambian minister appeared in a Swiss court on Monday to appeal against a conviction for crimes against humanity under ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh.
Ousman Sonko’s conviction for homicide, torture and false imprisonment in May 2024 was historic since he was the highest-ranking former official ever to be tried in Europe using universal jurisdiction, which allows for the prosecution of the most serious crimes anywhere.
Witnesses said five of the ten Gambian plaintiffs in the case were present at the Higher Appeals Chamber of the Federal Criminal Court in the city of Bellinzona alongside the defendant.
Sonko, who acted as interior minister until the former strongman Jammeh dismissed him in 2016, is appealing the ruling for crimes allegedly committed between 2000-2016.
His lawyer Philippe Currat argued in court on Monday that many of the alleged acts happened before the relevant Swiss legislation took effect in 2011, saying in a statement that the conditions for criminal prosecution are not met.
Plaintiffs and the prosecution are also appealing the ruling with the aim of prolonging his 20-year sentence to life and expanding it to include sexual violence after Sonko was previously acquitted of rape.
Benoit Meystre, a legal adviser at TRIAL International, which filed the original complaint against Sonko and is supporting plaintiffs said “Sexual violence was a tool of repression in the Gambia and that should be taken into account and recognized by the Court as such.”
The hearings are set to continue until at least April 17. A final appeal is possible against the appeal verdict but would typically take place without public hearings.
Photo Credit: @onafuwaphotography Nollywood filmmaker, Jade Osiberu has inked a deal with Prime Video. In her three-year deal, Jade will develop new projects for original…
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/people-s-party-of-canada-leader-maxime-bernier-speaks.jpg?id=60035365&width=2000&height=1500&coordinates=158%2C0%2C159%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>With <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/federal-election" target="_blank">Canada's federal election</a> taking place on Monday, April 28, 2025, you might still be wondering who to vote for.</p><p>And while much of the focus is on the Liberals and Conservatives, a handful of major parties will be fighting for seats, including the People's Party of Canada (PPC). </p><p><span></span><span></span>Founded in 2018 by former Conservative cabinet minister Maxime Bernier, the PPC is a relatively new and small federal party that didn't meet the criteria to participate in the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/mark-carney-french-debate-reaction" target="_blank">2025 leaders' debates</a>. That means many Canadians might not be familiar with what they stand for, but their platform is one of the most distinct in the country.</p><p>Bernier and the PPC are campaigning on a message of limited government, personal freedom, and "Canada first" policies.</p><p>Here are six major promises they're making in the 2025 election.</p><p>For the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Greens, check out <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/who-to-vote-for" target="_self">MTL Blog's election hub</a>.</p><h3>Balance the budget and reduce taxes</h3><br/><p>A core part of the <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/public-finance" target="_blank">PPC's platform</a> revolves around downsizing the government, balancing the budget and cutting citizens' taxes. </p><p>Bernier's party argues that a responsible government "should aggressively cut spending, balance the budget as quickly as possible, and then lower taxes in a prudent manner to put money back into Canadians’ pockets."</p><p>If elected, the PPC promises to </p><ul><li>Set up a department of government downsizing.</li><li>Eliminate the deficit within one year.</li><li>Focus spending on core federal responsibilities.</li><li>Simplify the tax system.</li><li>Abolish interprovincial trade barriers. </li></ul><h3>Protect free speech</h3><br/><p>The PPC is <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/freedom-of-expression" target="_blank">strongly against what it calls "regulatory attacks on free speech"</a> in Canada and promises to roll back recent laws that, in its view, limit Canadians' freedom of expression.</p><p>"What some people find politically incorrect, offensive or even hateful cannot serve as the legal basis for discrimination and censorship," the party states.</p><p>If elected, the PPC says it will repeal Bill C-11 and Bill C-18 — two controversial laws that affect online streaming and news — and oppose any future legislation that could "regulate speech on the internet." The party also wants to eliminate the Canadian Human Rights Commission's ability to regulate speech under Section 13, which it says was previously used to silence unpopular opinions.</p><h3>Cool down an overheated housing market</h3><br/><p>The PPC says it'll fix Canada's ongoing housing crisis by reducing immigration and reining in the Bank of Canada. According to the <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/housing" target="_blank">People's Party's platform</a>, the country's housing crisis isn't about a lack of federal action — it’s about bad policies that fuel demand.</p><p>Their plan focuses on lowering housing prices by:</p><ul><li>Temporarily pausing new permanent residents until the market cools.</li><li>Reducing immigration targets to between 100,000 and 150,000 per year.</li><li>Changing the Bank of Canada’s inflation target from 2% to 0%.</li><li>Leaving zoning and density decisions to municipalities instead of the feds.</li><li>Phasing out or privatizing the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).</li><li>Helping provinces crack down on foreign buyers and money laundering.</li></ul><h3>Reduce immigration</h3><br/><p>The PPC says <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/immigration" target="_blank">Canada's current immigration levels are "unsustainable"</a> and wants to bring the number of newcomers down to between 100,000 and 150,000 per year.</p><p>They argue that too many new arrivals are putting pressure on housing, healthcare, and other public services — and that Canada should instead focus on integrating immigrants more effectively.</p><p>If elected, the PPC promises to:</p><ul> <li>Pause immigration until the housing crisis is under control.
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Cut immigration levels to 100,000–150,000 per year, with a focus on skilled workers.
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Tighten the point system to favour high-value job sectors and reduce family reunification.
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Boost security checks to ensure newcomers align with Canadian values.
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Deport people who overstay visas or are denied asylum.
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Limit foreign workers and students to reduce pressure on jobs and services.
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Take in fewer refugees, prioritizing persecuted minorities.
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End birth tourism so babies born to non-residents don't get automatic citizenship.
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Leave the UN's migration pact to fully control immigration policies.</li></ul><h3>Reject "climate alarmism"</h3><br/><p><span style="background-color: initial;">The PPC argues that <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/environment" target="_blank">current climate policies are driven by "alarmism"</a> and impose unnecessary economic burdens.</span> </p><p>If elected, the party plans to:</p> <ul> <li> Withdraw from the Paris Accord and abandon greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.</li> <li> Eliminate all carbon taxes and related regulations.</li> <li> End subsidies for green technology, allowing the private sector to develop alternatives.</li> <li> Invest in adaptation strategies to protect Canadians from natural disasters like floods and wildfires.</li> <li> Implement practical solutions to improve Canada's air, water, and soil quality, including providing clean drinking water to remote First Nations communities.</li></ul><h3>Challenge gender ideology</h3><br/><p>The PPC <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/gender-ideology" target="_blank">opposes what it calls "radical gender ideology"</a> and has outlined several policies aimed at limiting government involvement in issues related to gender identity.</p><p>If elected, the party says it would:</p> <ul> <li> Ban gender transition procedures — including puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgeries — for anyone under 18.</li> <li> Make it a criminal offence for adults to encourage minors to undergo gender transition procedures.</li> <li> Repeal Bill C-4, which the party says limits conversations between parents, therapists, and youth about gender.</li> <li> End federal funding for organizations that promote gender identity-based policies.</li> <li> Use existing Canadian laws to remove sexually explicit material from schools and libraries.</li> <li> Restrict access to women-only spaces, such as prisons, shelters, and bathrooms, to biological females only.</li> <li> Prevent biological males from participating in women's sports.</li> <li> End government coverage of sex reassignment procedures for federal employees and incarcerated individuals.</li> <li> Repeal Bill C-16, which added gender identity and expression to the Canadian Human Rights Act in 2017.</li></ul><p>The PPC's entire election platform is available on the <a href="https://www.peoplespartyofcanada.ca">party's website</a>.</p><p><em>Looking for more election information? Check out MTL Blog's summaries of why federal party leaders want you to vote <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/why-vote-liberal-mark-carney-2025-federal-election" target="_blank">Liberal</a>, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/why-vote-conservative-pierre-poilievre-2025-federal-election" target="_blank">Conservative</a>, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/why-vote-ndp-jagmeet-singh-2025-federal-election" target="_blank">NDP</a>, <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/why-vote-blanchet-bloc-quebecois-2025-federal-election">Bloc Québécois</a>, and <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/why-vote-green-may-pedneault-2025-federal-election" target="_blank">Green</a>.</em></p>
