Press Statement

End tyranny in The Gambia

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has learned with dismay the massive arrest and detention of journalists by the notorious National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul, The Gambia.

Three executive members of The Gambia Press Union (GPU) were arrested on June 15, 2009. They are Emil Touray, general secretary, Sarata Jabbi, first vice president and Pa Modou Faal, treasurer.

These arrests occurred after the GPU issued on June 12, 2009 a statement condemning President Yahya Jammeh’s speech, which slandered the memory of Deyda Hydara, editor of The Point newspaper who was murdered in 2004 by unidentified gunmen.

On the same day Pap Saine, editor of The Point was also arrested because his newspaper published the GPU’s statement.

In addition on June 15, 2009 Sam Sarr and Abubacarr Saidykhan, managing editor and reporter respectively of the Foroyaa newspaper and Ebrima Sawaneh, deputy managing editor of The Point newspaper, were picked up at different times and sent to the NIA headquarters. Sam Sarr is also the GPU advisor.

The NIA, the political police of Yahya Jammeh, arrested a total of seven journalists and mounted a search for the GPU president. All the arrested journalists have been denied access to a lawyer.

The MFWA is deeply worried by these arbitrary arrests whose purpose is to shut down the GPU, which is one of the rare voices that express independent views on Yahya Jammeh’s scorched-earth violations of human rights in the country.

Furthermore, these arrests form part of a pattern of consistent violations of press freedom and freedom of expression over Yahya Jammeh’s 13-year reign.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA):

Condemns vehemently the arrest and detention of the journalists in The Gambia;

Demands the Gambian authorities to unconditionally release them;

Urges the Government of The Gambia to end all forms of attacks against journalists, media houses and the GPU;

Appeal to the ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations and the European Union to put pressure on Yahya Jammeh to free the journalists

Holds the Gambian regime and particularly Yahya Jammeh responsible for the safety and integrity of the detained journalists.

We urge all media houses in our countries to raise their voices against the despicable tyranny raging in The Gambia.

 We urge media associations in West Africa to demand the end of impunity in The Gambia.

Issued by the MFWA, Accra on June 18, 2009. 

The MFWA is a regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Accra. It was founded in 1997 to defend and promote the rights and freedom of the media and all forms of expression. 

For further information, please Contact:

Prof. Kwame Karikari
Executive Director
MFWA
P.O. Box LG 730,
Legon
Accra, Ghana

Tel 233-21 242470
Fax 233 -21 221084

Email: mfwa@africaonline.com.ghThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.mediafound.org 

 

 

Yahya jammeh, Gambia's tyrant