GAMBIA PRESS UNION
NO. 5 GARBA JAHUMPA ROAD BAKAU NEWTOWN
P. O. Box 1440, Banjul, The Gambia
email: [log in to unmask] url: www.gambiapressunion.org
Press Release
Monday, June 15 2009
20:00 HRS
GPU, GAMBIAN JOURNALISTS UNDER SIEGE
The Gambia Press Union wishes to express its most profound disappointment over the National Intelligence Agency questioning of three of its senior Executive members namely, Emil Touray, Secretary General; Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, Vice President and Pa Modou Faal, Treasurer who have spent all day today at the National Intelligence Agency Headquarters were they are being questioned.
Pap Saine, Publisher of The Point Newspaper and Ebrima Sawaneh, Editor of The Point are also at the NIA headquarters. Sam Sarr and Abubcarr Saidy Khan Editor and Reporter, Foroyaa Newspaper were also picked up for questioning around 7.30 GMT.
This move comes four days after the Union issued a statement in response to inappropriate comments made by Head of State, President Jammeh on slain Gambian journalist, Deyda Hydara and the state of Freedom of Expression in The Gambia.
It is certainly unbelievable that less than a week after President Jammeh has pronounced The Gambia as a state where one can freely exercise their rights to Freedom of Expression as enshrined in Section 207 of The 1997 Constitution and various regional and international treaties, the NIA find it fitting to resort to their usual tactics of unnecessary high handedness in the face of truth.
We firmly stand by our statements of Thursday, June 11 and are today, more than ever before determined to remain steadfast, courageous, and, to speak the truth, only the truth and nothing but the truth.
We also reiterate our call on the Gambia Government and its relevant security institutions to cease the unnecessary and continued embarrassment and harassment of journalists; And, to respect, promote and defend the rights of journalists. Rights enshrined in the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia, Article 9 of The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
We also demand the immediate and unconditional release of our colleagues.
The Union also calls on all Gambians of conscience to rally behind the media in the knowledge that this is not only suppression of freedom of the media but suppression of all Gambians, who have the right to access information and to be duly informed.
It is our individual and collective duty to build a democratic Gambia that ensures the provision of all our inalienable and indivisible human rights in a bid to attain our liberty, dignity and prosperity.
Ndey Tapha Sosseh
President
NOTE TO EDITORS
Sarata Jabbi-Dibba, GPU Vice President is a nursing mother with an infant of about six months.
Sam Sarr, Editor of Foroyaa Newspaper is an advisor to the GPU Executive and serves as interim coordinator of The Gambia Editor’s Forum.
Pa Modou Faal, GPU Treasurer is the President of the Association of Health Journalists and Coordinator of AMMREN (Africa Malaria Media Research Network) The Gambia.
Pap Saine, Publisher of The Point Newspaper was today, June 15 acquitted by the Banjul Magistrate’s Court on charges of False Citizenship