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| Abdoulie John is asked to be reporting for continuous grilling |
Released after been illegally detained beyond the legal limit of 72 hours, Gambian journalist Abdoulie John has been ordered to report back to the
National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Monday, Jan. 14.
Mr. John
was detained at NIA headquarters in Banjul from Jan. 7-10, 2013 after he reported to the agency as part of a weekly routine since Dec. 10, 2012. He is once again being subjected to a routine reporting as the agency continues to investigate him.
Mr John, a Banjul-based editor of the online site, JollofNews and a correspondent of the Associated Press, AP, has told local media his laptop computer which was taken from him is still being kept by the NIA.
Earlier this month, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
said it "vigorously
condemned the permanent harassment of Mr. John,who is obliged since
December 10, to report every week for questioning at the NIA."
John was first arrested on Sunday 9 December 2012 and detained overnight by
state security forces after a confrontation with President
Yahya Jammeh's personal photographer, Sulayman Gassama.
Gassama is reported to have insisted on knowing who had invited John to cover the release of the eight Senegalese who were held hostage by the Casamance rebels (MFDC) at a ceremony held in Casamance, 200km from the Gambian-border village of Tamba Kunda.
John was later released on bail of 1500 US dollars on December 10 and asked to report to the NIA every week. His passport was kept.
Gassama is reported to have insisted on knowing who had invited John to cover the release of the eight Senegalese who were held hostage by the Casamance rebels (MFDC) at a ceremony held in Casamance, 200km from the Gambian-border village of Tamba Kunda.
John was later released on bail of 1500 US dollars on December 10 and asked to report to the NIA every week. His passport was kept.
No charges have been brought against him so far.
Written by Modou S. Joof
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