The Gambia

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 25 January 2008, the Gambian authorities lifted their ban on Radio France International (RFI), a French public broadcaster, transmitting on FM in Banjul. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that after 10 days of absence on the air, RFI is now back. A release issued by the Department of State […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 15 January 2008, The Gambian authorities indefinitely suspended the broadcast of Radio France International (RFI) in Banjul for airing what they referred to as an “erroneous news story”. A release from the Department of State for Communications, Information and Technology, on 21 January, six days after the closure, in explaining government’s action, […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – The following is a joint action by 21 IFEX members: Embassy of the Republic of The Gambia 1156 15TH Street, N.W., Suite 905 Washington, D.C. 20005 USA Tel: (202) 785-1399 Fax: (202) 785-1430 Dear President Yahya Jammeh: We, the undersigned member organisations of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX), join with the […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has filed another suit at the Community Court of the Economic Committee of West Africa States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, Nigeria against the Gambian government over a case of illegal detention and torture of journalist Musa Saidykhan. Saidykhan, editor-in-chief of “The Independent”, a banned bi-weekly Banjul-based newspaper, […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 22 October 2007 IFJ media release: IFJ Condemns Persecution of Missing Gambian Journalist The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the persistent threats to the life of Yaya Dampha, a reporter with the Foroyaa newspaper in The Gambia, after him and two Amnesty International staff were arrested, detained […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Yaya Dampha, a journalist with the bi-weekly “Foroyaa”, a Banjul-based pro-opposition newspaper, and two Amnesty International (AI)-UK officials, Tania Bernath, AI director for Africa, and Ayodele Ameen, campaign officer for West Africa, were released on bail on 8 October 2007, after 48 hours in detention. Each detainee was granted bail for the sum […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 6 October 2007, Yaya Dampha, a journalist with the bi-weekly “Foroyaa”, a Banjul-based independent newspaper, was arrested by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) together with two Amnesty International (AI)-UK officials, Tania Bernath, acting director for Africa and Ayodele Ameen, a campaign officer for West Africa. Their driver, Lamin Barrow, was also arrested. […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – The proceedings against Malick Jones, a principal producer with the state-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), and Mam Sait Ceesay, a former editor of the pro-government “Daily Observer” newspaper, were suspended on 26 September 2007. The decision followed defence counsel Antouman Gaye’s submission that the case was filed without a fiat of […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 26 September 2007 IFJ media release: IFJ Fears Detained Journalist Killed in The Gambia The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed its fear that Chief Ebrima Manneh, who has been missing for more than a year and was reportedly being held incommunicado, has been killed in jail in […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Malick Jones, a principal producer of the state-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) was released on 21 September 2007 after finally executing his bail condition in the sum of 200,000 Dalasi (approx. US$9,500). Jones and another journalist, Mam Sait Ceesay, a former editor of the pro-government “Daily Observer” newspaper, were held incommunicado […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Mam Sait Ceesay, a former editor of the pro-government Banjul-based “Daily Observer” newspaper, was released on 18 September 2007 after fulfilling his bail conditions in the sum of 200,000 Dalasi (approx. US$6,500). Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that Malick Jones, a principal producer of the state-owned Gambia Radio and Television […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 12 September 2007, Mam Sait Ceesay, a former editor of the pro-government Banjul-based “Daily Observer” newspaper, and journalist Malick Jones, of the state-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), were re-arrested by Gambian police and detained at the Mile 2 Central Prisons on the outskirt of Banjul, after being granted bail by […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – On 9 September 2007, Mam Sait Ceesay, a former editor of the pro-government Banjul-based daily “Daily Observer”, and Malick Jones, a journalist with the state-owned Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), were arrested and detained by the Gambian Police Force. MFWA sources reported that, although no official reasons have been assigned for the […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Chief Ebrima Manneh, the detained journalist of the pro-government newspaper “Daily Observer” was seen on 26 July 2007 at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), the Gambia’s main hospital, where he had been hospitalised for treatment of high blood pressure. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that Manneh was seen in […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Seedy Bojang, a journalist working for the Banjul-based, pro-government “Daily Observer” newspaper, was on July 9, 2007 dismissed by the newspaper’s management. The reasons for his dismissal are not clear. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources attributed it to some changes he allegedly made to the caption of a recent editorial in […]

(MFWA/IFEX) – Modou Lamin Jaiteh, Banjul correspondent for the Pan African News Agency (PANA), an African news wire service based in Senegal, and a former staff reporter of “The Point” newspaper, based in Banjul, has gone into hiding for fear of his life. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) sources reported that persons suspected to […]