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| The journalists need a media environment free from intimidation, arbitrary arrests, detention, disappearance, torture, killings and all forms of human rights violations designed to gag the media in The Gambia, the GPU stated. (Photo Credit: Haddija Jawara/Facebook) |
The
Gambia Press Union, GPU, Saturday renew calls for The Gambia Government to
respect two verdicts of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
The
call was contained in a solidarity statement that strongly condemned the
Ethiopian government’s crackdown and jailing of nine journalists and bloggers in
April 2014, while calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
Its
1st Vice President, Baboucarr Ceesay said: “The solidarity statement
for jailed Ethiopian journalists and bloggers cannot be concluded without
renewing Gambian journalists call on the government of The Gambia to respect
the ECOWAS court’s verdict…
“To
produce and compensate ‘Chief’ Ebrima Manneh who was arrested at his work
place, Daily Observer since July 7,
2006. His whereabouts remained unknown to the public, his family and
colleagues.
“The
same Court recommended for the compensation of Musa Saidykhan, former editor at
the arbitrarily closed The Independent
newspaper who was arrested, detained and tortured in detention.”
GPU
also call on the government to bring to justice the killers of Deyda Hydara who
was shot on 16 December 2004 and Omar Barrow who was shot on April 10, 2000 during
a student demonstration.
“We
also called on the Gambian authorities to re-open The Daily News which has been forced out of the newsstands for more
than one year without any court order,” Ceesay added.
“Gambian
journalists are also calling on the government to review and repeal all
draconian media laws to be in line with international standards.”
The
journalists need a media environment free from intimidation, arbitrary arrests,
detention without trial, disappearance, torture, killings and all forms of human
rights violations designed to gag the media in The Gambia, the GPU stated.
This entry first appeared on The Voice
Edited by Modou S. Joof
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