By Mustapha Jallow, Denver, U.S.
Michael Sang Correa, a former member of the notorious “Junglers” paramilitary group, is set to stand trial in Denver, Colorado, today, marking a significant moment in the United States’ efforts to hold perpetrators of torture accountable.
Correa is facing six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture, charges that stem from his role in the regime of former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh. Correa’s alleged crimes date back to his involvement with the “Junglers,” a paramilitary group that operated outside The Gambia’s official security structures from 1994 to 2016. The Junglers were feared for their brutal methods, which included extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, sexual abuse, and torture.
Correa’s indictment specifically focuses on the aftermath of a failed coup attempt against Jammeh in 2006. In the wake of the failed coup, Correa and other Junglers allegedly tortured individuals suspected of being involved in the plot. Torture methods described in the indictment include beatings, suffocation with plastic bags, and the application of electric shocks—all methods aimed at extracting confessions or punishing those perceived as enemies of the state.
The charges against Correa were brought under the U.S. Extraterritorial Torture Act (ETTA), a law that enables the U.S. to prosecute individuals found within its borders for crimes of torture committed abroad. The prosecution of Correa represents a rare but important application of the U.S. legal system to combat global human rights violations. While the U.S. has historically focused its criminal justice system on domestic crimes, the Extraterritorial Torture Act allows for accountability in cases where the accused may be beyond the reach of local legal systems. Under the Act, the U.S. has been able to prosecute individuals involved in torture abroad as long as they are found within U.S. jurisdiction. Correa is only the third person—and the first foreign national—prosecuted under this law.
A coalition of groups, including the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), members of the Alliance of Victims-Led Organizations (AVLO), and TRIAL International, have been instrumental in bringing Correa’s case to the attention of U.S. authorities. These organizations have been relentless in their pursuit of justice for victims of Jammeh’s government, arguing that international human rights law demands accountability for crimes committed during his rule.
