http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/world/africa/banjul-gambia.html 2014-12-30 13:47:43 Gunfire Reported in Gambia’s Capital as President Is Abroad News reports ascribed the shots fired to a mutiny or attempted coup, but there was no immediate comment from the authorities to explain the confusion. === LONDON — Gunfire broke out overnight in Banjul, the seaside capital of the West African nation of The shooting came at a time when President Gambia, a sliver of land along the Gambia River and among Africa’s smallest countries, is a former British colony surrounded to the north, south and east by Senegal. News reports ascribed the gunfire to a coup attempt or a mutiny, but there was no immediate comment from the authorities to explain the confusion. Banks and other offices remained closed on Tuesday, Mr. Jammeh has faced increasing criticism from outside his country for running a repressive state. This year, Amnesty International criticized the authorities for changing the Constitution to extend maximum jail terms for some categories of homosexuality to life imprisonment from 14 years. The changes came “at a time when the space for free speech in Gambia is rapidly shrinking,” Amnesty International said in a “This is particularly evident in restrictions on the media, where the government controls what is printed and broadcast,” it continued. “Human rights defenders, journalists and political activists face harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and enforced disappearance,” the report said. “President Jammeh has repeatedly criticized human rights defenders for promoting and protecting the human rights of sexual minorities.” The reports of shooting in Banjul came roughly two months after After weeks of political wrangling, Colonel Zida was