Jailed Gambian journalists to appeal

August 19th, 2009

The six Gambian journalists whom were recently imprisoned will be launching an appeal against their two-year sentences and heavy fines, on the grounds that the convictions were unconstitutional. Hearing is most likely to begin in October as the judiciary is currently on legal vacation. Read more here (http://www NULL.mediafound NULL.org/index NULL.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=421&Itemid=1)

Jailed Gambian journalist has baby taken

August 14th, 2009

Five of the six journalists sentenced to two years in prison for sedition and defamation against the government in Zambia have been moved to a northern prison.  This included Pap Saine, the Reuters correspondent who is suffering from a heart condition but has not been allowed to go to Senegal for the pacemaker operation.  The sixth journalist Sarata Jabba-Dibba has not been moved to the northern prison, but has had her seven month old baby, which she is still breastfeeding  taken away from her. Read more here (http://www NULL.rsf NULL.org/spip NULL.php?page=article&id_article=34183)

Gambia’s war on journalists

August 7th, 2009

News that six Gambian journalists have been jailed for two years for “ridiculing the head of state” signals that the country has become one of Africa’s worst abusers of press freedom says AllAfrica.com’s Brian Kennedy. (more…)

Gambian journalists jailed for defamation

August 7th, 2009

Six journalists in Gambia have been jailed for two years each after being found guilty of criticising the country’s president. The journalists from the newspaper Foroyaa and weekly publication The Point were convicted of sedition and defamation for comments critical of President Yahya Jammeh. Read more here (http://www NULL.google NULL.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jHkFNnghT6nsXNinU_Mw2V1_o6Og)

Gambia: Jammeh’s war on journalists

July 21st, 2009

AllAfrica.com’s Brian Kennedy examines the Gambian president’s ongoing assault on press freedom after the recent arrest of eight opposition journalists
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Gambia Press Union members in hiding

June 24th, 2009

The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Gambia has closed down The Point newspaper and forced two journalists and an executive member of the Gambia Press Union into hiding. Read more here (http://www NULL.ifex NULL.org/the_gambia/2009/06/23/offices_stormed/)

Gambian journalist escapes prison sentence

August 19th, 2008

A Gambian journalist avoided four years in prison after raising 8,000 euro to pay a fine yesterday. A court convicted Gambian journalist, Fatou Jaw Manneh, for ‘sedition’, relating to her 2005 article criticising President Jammeh. Manneh was found guilty of publication of ‘seditious words’ and publication of ‘false news intended to create public fear and alarm’. Local sources said Manneh had managed to raise the money and therefore escaped prison. Read more here (http://allafrica NULL.com/stories/200808190097 NULL.html)

Gambian court orders release of detained journalist

June 9th, 2008

A court in Gambia has declared illegal the arrest and ongoing detention of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh and ordered Gambian authorities to release him. (more…)