Press Statement
MFWA sues government of Gambia at the ECOWAS Court over “disappeared”
journalist
The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, Nigeria has issued a hearing notice for a suit
filed against the Republic of Gambia by the Media Foundation for West Africa
(MFWA) on behalf of a “disappeared” Gambian journalist, Chief Ebrima Manneh,
reporter of pro-government Banjul-based “Daily Observer” newspaper.
This follows an application filed on behalf of the journalist by MFWA
through its Journalists’ Legal Defence Programme. The application seeks an
order from the sub-regional court to compel the government of President
Yahya Jammeh to immediately release Chief Manneh and compensate him
adequately.
The court has fixed July 10, 2007 for the hearing. The date coincides with
the eve of the first anniversary of Manneh’s arrest and incarceration.
Colleagues of Manneh witnessed his arrest by two plain-clothed personnel of
the notorious political police, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), at
the “Daily Observer’s” premises on July 11, 2006. But the government and
police claim they do not know the whereabouts of Manneh. Simply he is
“disappeared”.
The writ, filed by Nigerian human rights lawyer Femi Falana, a member of the
MFWA Legal Defence Network said that the arrest of Manneh without warrant
and his continual detention is unlawful and a violation of his right as
guaranteed under Articles 4, 5 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and
People’s Rights. It also violates Article 6 of the African Charter on Human
and Peoples Rights which guarantees his right to personal liberty.
The Gambian government has blatantly refused several requests from human
rights groups to either release or charge Manneh if he has committed any
offence.
In a reaction to the continuous demands for the release of Manneh, the
Gambia Police Force, after eight months of the journalist’s disappearance,
on 21 February 2007 officially denied ever arresting him and urged the
general public to furnish it with any "relevant" information about him.
MFWA sources have indicated earlier that, after his arrest, Manneh was
detained variously at the NIA Headquarters, Mile Two Central Prisons,
Kartong Police Station, Sibanor Police Station, Kuntaur Police Station and
then at Fatoto Police Station where he was last spotted after 188 days
incommunicado.
Gambian media practitioners have been subjected to unlawful arrests,
detentions, murder, and closure of newspapers resulting in several
journalists escaping into exile. Those within are practicing self-censorship
as a means of protection.
The MFWA and the Network of African Freedom of Expression Organizations
(NAFEO) have launched a campaign to end the impunity and attacks on free
expression in Gambia, and have published a 63-page dossier of press freedom
abuses since President Jammeh came to power in 1994.
Issued by the MFWA, Accra June 20, 2007.
The MFWA is a regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental
organization based in Accra. It was founded in 1997 to defend and promote
the rights and freedom of the media and all forms of expression.
Kwame Karikari, Prof.
Executive Director
MFWA
Accra
Tel: 233-21-24 24 70
Fax: 233-21-22 10 84
Email: [log in to unmask]
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