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| July 22 is marked by human rights organizations and civil society groups globally as “Gambia Day of Action” |
The
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has called for an end to what it
considers “19 years of repression and impunity in The Gambia” and urges
internet users to “Take action now”.
It
reiterated The Gambia Government’s refusal to comply with two human rights
judgements delivered against it by the regional community Court of Justice (the
ECOWAS Court) since 2010.
The MFWA
statement issued to co-inside with the 19th Coup Anniversary of
President Yahya Jammeh on July 22, stated: “In The Gambia today, critical media
reportage is literally outlawed, while other rights violations continue to be
perpetrated by the government with gross impunity”.
July 22,
2013, marks 19 years of President Yahya Jammeh’s rule of West Africa’s smallest
country, The Gambia, after the 48-year old leader seized power in 1994 through
a military coup.
The
19-year rule of President Jammeh has been characterized by brutal repression of
citizens’ rights to free expression. Freedom of speech and media rights have
remained stifled mainly through the application of inimical laws and the meting
out of stiffer punishments after politically motivated trials.
While
traditional media remained repressed, Gambian citizens have over the years
relied on the internet as an alternative channel for expressing themselves.
Gambians
based home and abroad have, over the years, used the internet to advocate for
the respect and protection of human rights (especially freedom of expression)
in the country.
Online
freedom too has now been severely restricted through a new draconian internet
law passed on July 3, 2013, according to the Accra-based MFWA.
The new
internet law known as (Information and Communication Act 2013) allows for a 15
year jail term and/or a US$90,000 fine for the offence of “publication of false
news” about the government on the internet. Many have expressed concern about
the obvious dire implications of the law on online freedom and freedom of
expression in The Gambia.
July 22
is marked by human rights organizations and civil society groups globally as
“Gambia Day of Action” and the MFWA entreats all internet-users across the
world to join the campaign to protest against the new Internet law and the
worsening conditions of freedom of expression in The Gambia.
“We
specifically, request internet users, rights activists and individuals to act
by sending a protest message via SMS to the Gambian Government through its
Minister of Information, Nana Grey Johnson, on his cell phone number:
002209916181,” MFWA Executive Director, Prof Kwami Karikari said.
Since
1994, dozens of human rights advocates and journalists have been exiled, others
have been killed and several others have disappeared, according to MFWA
research.
On
Monday, the MFWA, West Africa’s leading free expression and press freedom
agency, hosted a 1-hour Twitter forum on The Gambia via “@MFWAALERTS” from
1400-1500 GMT.
Written by TNBES Official
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