Media bill seriously threatens press freedom



Reporters sans frontières (Paris)

PRESS RELEASE
April 30, 2003
Posted to the web April 30, 2002

Banjul

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called today on the speaker of the Gambian
parliament, Sheriff Mustapha Dibba, to do everything he could to block
passage of a new press bill that it said would seriously endanger press
freedom. "This bill aims to create a National Media Commission that will be
a full-scale press court," RSF secretary-general Robert Ménard said in a
letter to Dibba.

"In no circumstances must a press monitoring body replace regular courts.
The extent of the Commission's powers, with a chairman appointed by the head
of state, is a serious threat to press freedom. The bill also violates the
Gambian constitution, which guarantees such freedom."

Parliament is due on 2 May to urgently consider the bill setting up the
Commission, whose main job will be to rule on complaints against journalists
and the media. It will be able to summon journalists to reply to accusations
and order them to reveal their sources. It will also draw up a code of
conduct for the media and accredit journalists and press organisations.

No media outlet will be allowed to operate without an annually renewable
licence, which the Commission can suspend or cancel. It can also close down
media and impose fines of at least 10,000 dalasis .




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