PRESS RELEASE

We , Gambians based in the United States, under theumbrella of the Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD) Organization in The Gambia, are watching the unfolding developments in The Gambia with total shock and disbelieves, especially the recent unlawful arrest and continuous detention of two journalists for the  Independent newspaper, whose officers were also sealedoff by security forces.

General Manager Mr. MadiCeesay, who is also the Secretary-General of the Gambia press Union and Editor Mr. Musa Saidykhan. The Gambia constitution requires that any person arrested be brought before court of law within 72 hours, therefore, it is unconstitutional for the government to continuously detain the above persons incommunicado without charges.

This unlawful detention is further evidence and justify that the Gambian
government, under President Yahya Jammeh, has no respect for the constitutional rights of Gambians citizens. After 11 years with so much innocent blood on its hands, the Gambian government is unremorsefully
determined to add more to its list of those it has already killed.

As a result of these alarming developments, we are adding our voices to those of the national and international human rights organizations and
individuals in condemning the unlawful detention of the above individuals. We believe that Jammeh’s government, have lost its sense of direction, will go to any length to arrest, and detain law abiding citizens whose only crime is to exercise their rights guaranteed by the constitution. This is why the
government has stood so low with no shame to arrest civilians and more so journalists with no knives as having knowledge of a false coup.

The Movement for Democracy and Development is appealing to Amnesty International and all Human Rights Organizations in the world to take immediate steps to end human rights abuses including, torture, in The Gambia.

The Movement for Democracy and Development is appealing to Amnesty International to urge the UN commission on Human Rights to adopt a resolution critical of Jammeh’s government attitude towards human rights.

The Movement for Democracy and Development call on the International Red Cross to visit the detainees and make sure they treated with dignity and their health conditions are OK.

We seriously believe that President Jammeh talk of “ peace and reconciliation” only as a propaganda to continue his oppression and suppression of the Gambian people.

Finally, we seriously condemn this wave of arrest and illegal detention of citizens by this oppressive regime, which has failed to address the real concern of the Gambian people. We call on the Gambia Bar Association, Teachers Union, Nurses Association, Doctors and religious groups to join us in calling the government to send the detainees to court so that the
due process of law can take its course or release them immediately.

President Jammeh should learn from former Liberian President Charles Tailor and must know that whatever he’s sowing today, he shall reap some days to come.

Signed:

Saihou Mballow
Chairperson

CC:
State Department
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch
International Red Cross
Gambia Media
Allgambian.Net
The Gambia Journal
Freedomnewspaper.com
Gambian Embassy DC
Gambian Embassy NY