Yahya Jammeh Televised Media Threat, A 'Fatwa' on Free Speech!

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on Wednesday 22 July warned journalists against tarnishing Gambia’s image, in a statement to state-owned GRTS television.

"Any journalist who thinks that he or she can write whatever he or she wants, and go free, is making a big mistake", Jammeh declared. "If anybody is caught, he will be severely dealt with."


IPI believes that President Jammeh’s recent threatening public statement to journalists is just another sign of the climate of fear in which journalists must work in Gambia.

“President Jammeh’s comments would be unacceptable in any country, but they are made worse because they come from a President who is deeply prejudiced against an independent media,” said IPI Director David Dadge. “The Gambian authorities must immediately drop all charges against the seven journalists, and implement all previous rulings of the ECOWAS community court.

“Further, we call on the international community to roundly condemn Gambia’s treatment of the media, bearing in mind that when a government fails to protect the rights of a free press, it is signalling that other fundamental human rights are also in grave danger.”

Meanwhile, the trial continues for seven prominent Gambian journalists accused on six counts of charges including conspiracy to seditious publication, seditious publication, conspiracy to commit criminal defamation and criminal defamation.

The International Press Institute (IPI) recently called on Gambia to drop the charges.

The seven journalists, Emil Touray, Sarata Jabbi-Dibba and Pa Modou Fall of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), Pap Saine and Ebrima Sawaneh of The Point, and Sam Sarr and Abubakar Saidykhan of the newspaper Forayaa, were arrested following the publication of a GPU statement criticising President Jammeh over comments he made about another Gambian journalist, Deyda Hydara, who was co-founder and editor of The Point and was murdered in 2004. As highlighted by IPI’s Justice Denied campaign, no one was ever brought to justice for his death, and investigations have stalled. Widespread suspicion persists that he was killed by members of the “Green Boys,” an officially disbanded group linked to the ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction's (APRC).

Hydara was an outspoken advocate of press freedom. Two days before his murder, he announced his intention to challenge two controversial laws introduced in The Gambia on 14 December 2004: the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill 2004, which imposes prison sentences for press offences such as defamation and sedition; and the Newspaper (Amendment) Bill 2004, which requires expensive operating licenses and obligates newspaper owners to register their homes as security for the payment of any fines.

An anonymous letter sent to the Gambia Press Union (GPU) shortly before Hydara’s murder threatened to "teach a very good lesson" to one of the GPU’s journalists for “always going hard” on President Jammeh.
In a further manifestation of its contempt for the media, President Jammeh’s government has ignored a 2008 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court decision ordering it to release and compensate, to the amount of $100,000, missing journalist Ebrima Manneh.

IPI has called on the Gambian government to respect the decision.

In a televised statement on Sunday, President Jammeh denied allegations that he had Ebrima Manneh killed.

The ECOWAS Community Court is currently hearing a torture case filed by the Media Foundation for West Africa. Musa Saidykhan, who is the editor-in-chief of the banned newspaper The Independent, was detained by NIA forces and the police in March 2006 and held incommunicado for 22 days, during which time he allegedly faced continual torture that has left his body permanently scarred.

On 30 June the court threw out the Gambian government’s claim that the court lacked jurisdiction to rule on the case.

30 journalists have reportedly fled Gambia since 2007.

culled from: http://www.freemedia.at/index.php?id=288&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=4476&cHash=8281ee04d2

Tortured, brutalized yet Daring; that is the Unquenchable Zest for Freedom

and this:




Pictures don't tell lies. These are for real, pals!!!

The Washignton March for Press Freedom in The Gambia

Free Press is an essential ingredient of development. If Yayah Jammeh fails to act, the whole world will be MOBILIZED TO BOYCOTT Gambian TOURISM! Better watch it!!

Ebriba Manneh is still missing!! (Think of the family, friends and the possibility that it might be YOU tomorrow; Please HELP!!!)

How You and I Can Help?

You can help by sending appeal letters to any of the following officials:

President and Minister of Defence
Captain (retd.) Alhaji Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh
Office of the President
State House, Banjul
Republic of the Gambia
Fax: +220 4227 034
Salutation: Your Excellency

Attorney General and Secretary of State for Justice
Mrs Marie Saine Firdaus
Department of State for Justice
Marina Parade
Banjul
Republic of the Gambia
Fax: +220 4225 352
Salutation: Dear Secretary of State

Secretary of State for the Interior
Mr Ousman Sonko
Office of the President
State House
Banjul
Republic of the Gambia
Fax: +220 4223 718
Salutation: Dear Secretary of State

You can use the format of the International Federation of Journalists: http://www.gambiapressunion.org/fileadmin/templates/GPU/images/PDF/IFJ_Ecowas_Appeal_Letter.PDF

The Seven Victims of Tyranny and Oppression

GAMBIA Emil Touray (m), Secretary General Gambia Press Union,
Sarata Jabbi-Dibba (f), Vice President, Gambia Press Union,
Pa Modou Faal (m), Treasurer, Gambia Press Union,
Pap Saine (m), Publisher, The Point newspaper,
Ebrma Saweneh (m), Editor, The Point newspaper,
Sam Sarr (m), Editor, Foroyaa, opposition newspaper
Abubcarr Saidy Khan, (m) reporter, Foroyaa, opposition newspaper

Excerpts of an Interview with Ndey Tappah Sosseh, President Gambia Press Union

IPS: So what is your reaction to the ruling of the court that sent these journalists to prison?

Ndey Tapha Sosseh: Well I consider this an insult to the dignity of the Gambian people; I consider it a travesty of justice. I think that the justice that presided over the hearing must be shamed because this is unacceptable...

I cannot believe that a justice of the High Court of the Gambia could take such hasty, unacceptable decisions and nothing is being said in the Gambia, nothing is being done about it by the Gambian people.

And that’s what I find very provocative right now. Why would people not speak up?

Actually, let me not talk about the masses because I hear that there is a lot of public support for the journalists.

But there are institutions in the Gambia; their existence to me is not necessary right now! Because why would we have a Bar Association that would allow a High Court judge to sit there and make such decisions in the face of human rights, in the face of the Gambian people and not take any action?

Why would we have religious leaders who dare not stand up and speak out against what is happening in the Gambia right now?

IPS: What does this mean to the practice of independent journalism in the Gambia?

NTS: It is indeed a setback. But for those of us who are true journalists, we will remain steadfast, we will remain truthful, and we will remain courageous because the only thing they can do right now is what has happened to Deyda Hydara.

What is wrong with going to prison for speaking the truth? If speaking the truth can put me in prison they can keep me there for 15 years because I don’t care! Right now that’s how I feel.

If the head of state has the right to go on the state TV and make a statement we have a right to respond to those statements. Why should he be offended by those statements? Why should he be offended that we asked who killed Deyda Hydara? Why would he stand in public and ridicule Deyda Hydara?

IPS: When you assumed the presidency of the Gambia Press Union, you wanted to improve participation of women generally in the media. But with what is happening now, do you think women will be encouraged to join the journalism profession in the Gambia?

NTS: This is definitely a setback for women's participation in the media. Because why would anybody want their daughter or sister or wife or a woman related to them to be harassed like the way Sarata is being harassed right now?

She is a nursing mother. Why would anybody want to see a nursing mother being put into prison for expressing her opinion?

IPS: It doesn't seem as if the Gambian government is listening to the voices of concern. As the president of the Gambia Press Union, what will you do next to ensure that your colleagues are released and that the government respects the fundamental rights of journalists in the country?

NTS: This is an interesting question because first and foremost we are journalists, and the only tool we have right now is our media outlets.

We will still use the pages of our newspapers; we will use any media outlet that is available to us to condemn what is happening right now not only the statements of the president but also the travesty of justice.

The state is trying to use the law, twisted to its advantage. So how do we fight this? We need the partnership of the Gambia Bar Association; we need the partnership of the civil society organisations in the Gambia and we need the partnership of the religious organisations and other faith-based organisations.

And we will approach them. Whether they take up the challenge or not, is their problem, but we will approach them.

We’re not stopping there... We’ve included the diplomatic community from the first day. We will go back to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); we will go back to the African Union (AU), we will go back to European Union and we will go back to the U.N. because I think the Gambia government has international obligations as well that it should look up to.

These arrests are unconstitutional. Why is the government so nervous about a free press? What has government got to hide?

IPS: Well, the Gambian president always accuses the media of bias and also lack of professionalism?

NTS: The private in media in the Gambia is very professional given the context within which they operate; given the media laws that we have in the Gambia... I think we are very professional in comparison to the other media that we have in the sub-region. But that aside, he the president is the one who always uses the media in unprofessional context.


Source: http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=47548

The travails of the Gambian Journalists: Call to Action

The Gambian government led by Alhaji Yayah Jammeh has been detaining journalists almost everyday since the beginning of June. The detention spree was sparked by comments made by President Yahya Jammeh on May 22, in which he made disparaging remarks about continuing concern for the failed investigation into the death of Gambian journalism doyen Deyda Hyadara. Hyadara was killed by what is believed to be government security agents in 2004.

A statement issued by the Gambian Press Union criticizing Jammeh’s comments was reported on by a number of newspapers, resulting in those editors and journalists who carried the story being rounded up and detained. TAEF condemns this behavior and aligns itself with the statement by The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, calling on the Gambian government to begin honouring its obligations in terms of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. Gambian media has been operating under a strict regime of censorship, characterized by harassment, intimidation and detention as well as disappearances of journalists. Many journalists now live outside the country.

In particular we wish to draw attention to the following:
• The arrest of Ms Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, Mr Emil Touray and Mr Pa Modou Faal, First-Vice President, Secretary General and Treasurer respectively of the Gambia Press Union, on 15 June 2009, by members of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). This was in connection with a media statement recently issued by the Gambian Press Union, criticising comments made by President Jammeh on the stalled investigations into the 2004 killing of Deyda Hydara, co-founder and Editor of the Point Newspaper. Four other staff members of independent newspapers: Mr Pap Saine, Co-publisher and Managing Editor and Mr Ebrimma Sawaneh, News Editor of the independent newspaper, The Point, Mr Sam Sarr, the Editor and Mr Saidy Khan, a Reporter with the independent newspaper Foroyaa, were all arrested on 15 June 2009, for publishing the GPU statement. All seven were granted bail on a second appearance in court on Monday. We call for the dropping of the charges.
• The arrest of yet another reporter, Augustine Kanja, outside court where the seven were appearing on Monday, and the barring of media, relatives and the general public from attending the bail applications.
• Information that on 22 May 2009, President Jammeh, whilst addressing a rally in Kanifing, cautioned the Immam of Kalifing, Baba Leigh, who is an outspoken critic of the President’s administration, to desist from publicly criticising his Presidency or face the risk of imprisonment. President Jammeh reportedly warned that any media practioners who reported any remarks made by the Imam would face legal action.
• The arrest of Mr Abdul Hamid Adiamoh, Managing Editor of Today Newspaper, on 10 June 2009, on charges of false publication and broadcasting, contrary to Section 181 (A) of the Criminal Code. This was allegedly in connection with a story published by Today Newspaper, relating to alleged sacking of a number of ministers. The story was later retracted and an apology tendered. Adjamoh was however charged and sentenced to six months imprisonment or a fine.
• The “disappearance” of Daily Observer journalist, Chief Ebrima Manneh, since June 7, 2006. Manneh was allegedly picked up at his office by plain clothes security officials. He has not been seen since and government has denied knowledge of his whereabouts, although he was apparently treated at a hospital for an ailment in July 2007. His case was taken to the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in Abuja, Nigeria. The Gambian government boycotted the case but the court however found that Manneh was detained by The Gambian police and ordered his release and compensation but nothing has happened.
• A resolution by The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in November last year which condemned violations of Freedom of Expression and harassment and intimidation of journalists in The Gambia.

Culled from African Editors' Forum release