Update Gambia : Court finally releases journalist after 139 days in detention
A High Court in Banjul on October 9, 2006 unconditionally released
Malick Mboob, a journalist and former staff of the Daily Observer, a
pro-government newspaper after one hundred and thirty-nine (139) days
in illegal detention for allegedly sending damaging information to an
online US-based newspaper.
According to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)- Gambia
source, the Court's decision followed a suit filed by Mboob's counsel
Edward Gomez, seeking his unconditional release.
Mboob was one of five journalists were arrested by the National
Intelligence Agency (NIA) on May 26 for allegedly sending damaging
information, to a US-based online newspaper,Freedom Newspaper. He
was held incommunicado.Mboob, until his arrest was the Communications
Officer at a government hospital, the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital
(RVTH) in Banjul . He has since being relieved of his duty.
Mboob was released alongside Duta Kamasu, a former member of
parliament of the ruling party, who was arrested for the same reason.
She has also been dismissed from her position as Member of Parliament.
The MFWA considers the incessant harassment, arrests and physical
attacks on journalists and the media in The Gambia, as a regrettable
manifestation of the deliberate intolerance of alternative views by
the government. The current spate of arrests represents an attack on
media freedom, freedom of _expression and human rights generally.
We condemn in no uncertain terms the repressive attitude of the
government of President Yahya Jammeh and demand unfettered freedom of
speech and respect for the rule of law.
Meanwhile, the paris based Reporters Without Borders also reported about the release of journalist Malick Mboob. Below is the full text of their statement. Please read on....
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Journalist freed after being
held illegally for 139 days by intelligence agents
Malick Mboob, a former reporter with
the pro-government Daily Observer and now the Royal Victoria
Teaching Hospital's communication officer, was finally released
yesterday after being held illegally for 139 days in the cells of the
National Intelligence Agency in Banjul.
He was arrested on 26 May on suspicion of
writing articles for the Freedom Newspaper, a US-based news
website that is very critical of the Gambian government. Someone
hacked into the site on the night of 22 May, obtaining lists of
subscribers and contributors.