Who is Ousman Sonko, the former Gambian politician on trial in Geneva?

Sonko is the highest-ranking official under former dictator Yahya Jammeh, to stand trial for widespread rights abuses.

The trial of Ousman Sonko, a former interior minister of The Gambia (not to be confused with Senegalese politician, Ousmane Sonko) began Monday in a federal court in Switzerland.

It is one of a handful of cases where individuals accused of crimes against humanity committed under the leadership of the former Gambian leader and dictator, Yahya Jammeh, will be prosecuted. If convicted, Sonko could face a life imprisonment term.

But it is also a pivotal case for Switzerland, which as part of the universal jurisdiction principle recognises the right to try alleged offenders of the most serious crimes, whether they are citizens or foreigners, as long as they are on Swiss soil. Sonko will be the second individual tried under that rule since Switzerland enforced it in 2011.

The only other person to have been tried for crimes against humanity in the country is Alieu Kosiah, a Liberian warlord who was handed a 20-year term in June 2021 for mass killings and other crimes perpetrated in the Liberian civil wars.

Here’s what to know about Sonko’s case: