In a 13 January 2000 letter to President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, IPI expressed its deep concern over the charges of libel levelled against four journalists from “The Independent” newspaper. On 27 December 1999, editor-in-chief Baba Galleh Jallow, managing editor Alagi Yorro Jallow, and reporters N.B. Daffeh and Jalali Wally were charged with “libel against the […]
In a 13 January 2000 letter to President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, IPI expressed its deep concern over the charges of libel levelled against four journalists from “The Independent” newspaper.
On 27 December 1999, editor-in-chief Baba Galleh Jallow, managing editor Alagi Yorro Jallow, and reporters N.B. Daffeh and Jalali Wally were charged with “libel against the president” under the country’s criminal code for publishing a 24 December story, entitled “A New Wife for Jammeh?”, in which the authors quoted sources who said the president had married for the third time.
Baba Galleh, Yorro Jallow, and N.B. Daffeh were summoned to police headquarters in Banjul for questioning and later released on bail, but Yorro Jallow explained that the journalists have been asked to report to the police daily until they are taken before a court.
According to IPI, this recent government action against “The Independent” is only the latest in a series of attempts by the Gambia government to muzzle the country’s independent press in general and “The Independent” in particular. Since Jammeh was elected president in the September 1996 elections, many journalists have been censored or harassed for their critical coverage of the government, while licence fees for private radio stations and newspapers have been more than doubled, financially crippling the independent media. On 23 July, “The Independent” was suspended – allegedly for failing to pay a registration fee – shortly after it had published a statement by the opposition United Democratic Party that described the president as the “richest person in the region” and the “most corrupt head of state in Africa.” Baba Galleh, Yorro Jallow, and N.B. Daffeh were also arrested at the time (see IFEX alerts of 4 August, 3 August, 28 July and 26 July 1999).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– suggesting that the criminal charges instituted against Baba Galleh, Yorro Jallow, N.B. Daffeh and Jalali Wally are in clear violation of everyone’s right to seek, receive and impart information, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
– urging him to ensure that the charges against the four journalists are dropped immediately and that The Gambia’s independent media are allowed to carry out their profession without further harassment
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh
President of The Gambia
Office of the President
State House
Banjul
The Republic of The Gambia
Fax: +220 227 034
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
