On 6 May 1996, Alieu Badara Sowe, a reporter for the independent newspaper “The Point”, and Bruce Asemota, reporter for the independent “Daily Observer”, were arrested by plainclothes police officers from the criminal investigations unit. The officers later ordered the journalists to disclose their sources for articles that they had written about the National Police, […]
On 6 May 1996, Alieu Badara Sowe, a reporter for the independent
newspaper “The Point”, and Bruce Asemota, reporter for the
independent “Daily Observer”, were arrested by plainclothes
police officers from the criminal investigations unit. The
officers later ordered the journalists to disclose their sources
for articles that they had written about the National Police,
apparently so that they could determine if the sources were
associated in any way with the police.
Sowe wrote an article for the 29 April edition of “The Point”
about the involvement of the fraud division chief in the theft of
recovered stolen money, while Asemota wrote an article for the 6
May edition of the “Daily Observer” entitled “Big shake up hits
police force.” Asemota’s article reported on the reshuffling of
top officials in the National Police department as a result of
the incident involving the fraud division chief, and quoted an
anonymous source who revealed the names of the officials
reshuffled. The article also made reference to Sowe’s article in
“The Point”.
Both Sowe and Asemota are currently being held incommunicado, and
there are reports that Asemota has been beaten.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
Badara Sowe and Bruce Asemota, as it is a fundamental
professional responsibility of journalists never to disclose
their sources
independent journalists in The Gambia
Appeals To
His Excellency Lieutenant General Yaya Jammeh
Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
State House
Banjul, The Gambia
Fax: +220 227 034
Fri Jammeh
Inspector-General of Police
c/o The Ministry of Interior
Banjul, The Gambia
Fax: +220 223 063
Moustapha Marong
Minster of Justice
Ministry of Justice
Banjul, The Gambia
Fax: +220 225 352
Susan Waffer Ogoo
Minister of Tourism and Information
Ministry of Tourism and Information
Banjul, The Gambia
Fax: +220 227 753
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
