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Update Gambia: Newspaper journalist arbitrarily detained for 97 days
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Update Gambia: Newspaper journalist arbitrarily detained for 97 days
Update Gambia: Newspaper journalist arbitrarily detained for 97 days
Chief Ebrima Manneh, a reporter of the Daily Observer, a
pro-government newspaper, is still languishing in the cells of
National Intelligence Agency (NIA), four months after his arrest.
Manneh has been held incommunicado since his arrest and subsequent
incarceration on July 11, 2006.
The NIA has not given any reason for its action but Manneh is alleged
to have provided damaging information to a foreign journalist prior
to the African Union Summit held in Banjul in July.
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources say he was picked up
at the Daily Observer's premises by NIA personnel, but they have
continually denied holding him. With the release of Malick Mboob,
Manneh is the only journalist remaining in prison.
Since the government announced a foiled coup attempt in March 2006, a
number of journalists have been arrested, tortured or forced into
exile. The office of the Banjul-based bi-weekly The Independent
remains illegally shut while its reporter, Lamin Fatty, faces trial
for publishing false information after spending sixty-three (63)
days in illegal NIA detention.
Omar Bah, news editor of the Daily Observer, escaped into exile in
May, a few days before he was declared wanted by the Gambian police
for his alleged contribution to a US-based online newspaper,Freedom
Newspaper that is critical of the government.
At the Daily Observer government officials consistently plant
stories in the newspaper and remove those deemed critical of the
government. Journalists who object to these acts of censorship are
branded as opposition elements and threatened with dismissals or
imprisonment, said a former Daily Observer staff currently in exile.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is bewildered at the NIA's
continued denial of holding journalist Manneh. We see his continued
arbitrary detention as a gross violation of his rights and an outright
contravention of constitutional guarantees enshrined in the Gambia's
constitution. We therefore call on the Jammeh government to
immediately and unconditionally release the journalist.
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Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 (Archive on Sunday, October 29, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI
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